NSR Shipping traffic – Transits in 2019
The cargo volume of transportation along the Northern Sea Route significantly increased in 2019 and amounted to 31.5 million tons. Recall that in 2018 this figure was 19.7 million, and in 2017 it was 10.7 million tons.
The deliveries to ports and port points in the water area of the Northern Sea Route amounted to 2 425.5 thousand tons, export of 28 408.5 thousand tons, and transit cargoes – 697.3 thousand tons.
Last year, 29 transit vessels passed through the NSR, having completed a total of 37 voyages.
Most of the voyages were made by vessels with ice class Arc 4 – 17 voyages, followed by Ice 1 – 6 voyages, Ice 3 and Arc 5 –– 5 voyages each (see chart below).
Most of the transits were made by general cargo vessels – 11 voyages, and what is noteworthy – most of these vessels belong to the Chinese company COSCO.
The voyages were made under the flags of Russia, China, Liberia, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Portugal, Panama, Bahamas. See other vessel characteristics below:
| Vessel name | Ice class | Flag | Shipowner | Vessel type | DWT (t) | GRT (t) |
| Svyatoy Petr | Arc 4 | Russia | Valkur | Tanker | 10960 | 6441 |
| Tian En | Arc 4 | China | COSCO | General cargo | 37125 | 26787 |
| Simfoniya | Arc 4 | Russia | Transrefflot | Reefer | 3750 | 4298 |
| Garmoniya | Arc 4 | Russia | Yuzhmorrybflot | Reefer | 3642 | 4295 |
| Da Tai | Ice 1 | Hong Kong | COSCO | General cargo | 29881 | 22566 |
| Professor Multanovskiy | Arc 5 | Russia | FERHRI | Research | 620 | 1753 |
| Nordic Svalbard | Arc 4 | Liberia | Nordic Svalbard | General cargo | 16543 | 15549 |
| Korolev Prospect | Ice 3 | Liberia | Kismet Ventures | Tanker | 113232 | 64909 |
| Atlanticborg | Arc 4 | Netherlands | Atlanticborg Shipping Company | General cargo | 17294 | 11885 |
| Tian Xi | Ice 1 | Liberia | COSCO | General cargo | 28098 | 26600 |
| Sparta 3 | Arc 4 | Russia | OBL-Shipping | General cargo | 9490 | 12679 |
| Astoria | Arc 4 | Russia | Triniti Shipping | Tanker | 12712 | 8886 |
| Sevmorput | Arc 5 | Russia | Atomflot | Container | 33240 | 38226 |
| Alsey | No | Russia | Antey | Fishing | 991 | 2158 |
| Tian You | Arc 4 | China | COSCO | General cargo | 37559 | 26787 |
| Da Xiang | Ice 1 | China | COSCO | General cargo | 28577 | 21992 |
| Tian Hui | Arc 4 | China | COSCO | General cargo | 37130 | 26787 |
| Tian Qi | Ice 1 | China | COSCO | General cargo | 37940 | 26770 |
| Baltic Winter | Arc 4 | Portugal | KG Shipping Company | General cargo | 19404 | 15549 |
| Andrey Pervozvannyy | Arc 5 | Russia | Valkur | Tanker | 25000 | 16040 |
| Gebe Oldendorff | Ice 2 | Portugal | Oldendorff Carriers | Bulk | 80943 | 44218 |
| Tamango | Ice 2 | Russia | Antey | Fishing | 257 | 680 |
| Rashkov | Ice 3 | Russia | Antey | Fishing | 315 | 868 |
| Crown Sapphire | Ice 1 | Bahamas | Zetland Advisor | Reefer | 10316 | 10519 |
| Mendeleev Prospect | Ice 3 | Liberia | Serafina Enterprises | Tanker | 113159 | 64909 |
| Nordic Oshima | Arc 4 | Panama | Bulk Nordic Olympic | Bulk | 76180 | 41071 |
| Vitus Bering | Arc 5 | Bahamas | GTLK ASIA M4 | Bulk | 105990 | 66291 |
| Georgiy Ushakov | Arc 7 | Bahamas | Teekay Shipping | LNG Tanker | 96796 | 128969 |
| Lomonosov Prospect | Ice 3 | Liberia | Purposeful Corporation | Tanker | 113170 | 64909 |
The main direction for transits in 2019 was cabotage: 16 voyages were made between Russian ports. The most popular destination ports were Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, and departed most often from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy and Arkhangelsk.12 voyages were passed in direction from West to East, and 9 transits were from East to West.
The earliest transit started from the Chinese port of Changsu on July 19 and crossed the eastern border of the NSR on Dezhnev Cape on July 30 (Tian En ship).
The last transit started in the port of Nakhodka on November 1, and completing the transit crossed the western border of the NSR Cape Zhelaniya on November 22 (Vitus Bering vessel).
Vessel “Crown Sapphire” showed the highest average speed along the NSR – 17.4 khots, and spent for its voyage from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy to St. Petersburg 17 days.
| Vessel name | Departure Port | Departure Date | Port of Arrival | Arrival Date | Speed on NSR (knots) |
| Svyatoy Petr | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 23.07.2019 | Arkhangelsk | 10.08.2019 | 9,3 |
| Tian En | Changshu | 19.07.2019 | Gavle | 17.08.2019 | 11,2 |
| Tian En | Skagen | 17.09.2019 | Tomakomai | 09.10.2019 | 12,9 |
| Simfoniya | Ossora | 06.08.2019 | Arkhangelsk | 19.08.2019 | 13,8 |
| Simfoniya | Arkhangelsk | 23.08.2019 | Ossora | 14.09.2019 | 14,7 |
| Garmoniya | Ossora | 08.08.2019 | Arkhangelsk | 21.08.2019 | 12,8 |
| Garmoniya | Arkhangelsk | 28.08.2019 | Livadiya | 30.09.2019 | 15,1 |
| Da Tai | Taicang | 31.07.2019 | Skagen | 24.08.2019 | 12,0 |
| Da Tai | Ust-Luga | 17.09.2019 | Rizhao | 20.10.2019 | 12,2 |
| Professor Multanovskiy | Vladivostok | 26.07.2019 | Murmansk | 07.09.2019 | 8,4 |
| Professor Multanovskiy | Murmansk | 11.09.2019 | Vladivostok | 22.10.2019 | 8,0 |
| Nordic Svalbard | Busan | 09.08.2019 | Cuxhaven | 01.09.2019 | 14,0 |
| Korolev Prospect | Murmansk | 23.08.2019 | Qingdao | 14.09.2019 | 12,1 |
| Korolev Prospect | Qingdao | 16.09.2019 | Murmansk | 08.10.2019 | 12,1 |
| Atlanticborg | Vlissingen | 19.08.2019 | Kinuura | 13.09.2019 | 12,7 |
| Tian Xi | Skagen | 22.08.2019 | Qingdao | 16.09.2019 | 12,7 |
| Sparta 3 | Busan | 20.08.2019 | Murmansk | 09.09.2019 | 13,7 |
| Astoria | Murmansk | 02.09.2019 | Vladivostok | 24.09.2019 | 11,3 |
| Sevmorput | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 29.08.2019 | St, Petersburg | 15.09.2019 | 15,1 |
| Alsey | Arkhangelsk | 31.08.2019 | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 17.09.2019 | 10,6 |
| Tian You | Shanghai | 26.08.2019 | Hamburg | 20.09.2019 | 12,0 |
| Da Xiang | Hamburg | 01.09.2019 | Dalian | 27.09.2019 | 13,4 |
| Tian Hui | Jiangyin | 30.08.2019 | Gothenburg | 23.09.2019 | 13,3 |
| Tian Qi | St, Petersburg | 05.09.2019 | Phu My | 09.10.2019 | 12,6 |
| Baltic Winter | Busan | 05.09.2019 | Cuxhaven | 29.09.2019 | 13,5 |
| Andrey Pervozvannyy | Arkhangelsk | 07.09.2019 | Ust-Kamchatsk | 26.09.2019 | 11,2 |
| Gebe Oldendorff | Murmansk | 16.09.2019 | Ningbo | 24.10.2019 | 9,3 |
| Tamango | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 19.09.2019 | Murmansk | 10.10.2019 | 8,7 |
| Rashkov | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 19.09.2019 | Murmansk | 10.10.2019 | 8,7 |
| Crown Sapphire | Pet.-Kamchatskiy | 01.10.2019 | St. Petersburg | 17.10.2019 | 17,4 |
| Mendeleev Prospect | Primorsk | 02.10.2019 | Tianjin | 08.11.2019 | 11,4 |
| Svyatoy Petr | Arkhangelsk | 07.10.2019 | Beringovskiy | 21.10.2019 | 10,0 |
| Nordic Svalbard | Rosyth | 10.10.2019 | Vostochnyy | 30.10.2019 | 14,8 |
| Georgiy Ushakov | Geoje | 18.09.2019 | Vardo | 24.10.2019 | 12,8 |
| Lomonosov Prospect | Primorsk | 28.09.2019 | Laizhou | 29.10.2019 | 7,4 |
| Nordic Oshima | Nunavut | 08.10.2019 | Bayuquan | 20.11.2019 | 4,8 |
| Vitus Bering | Nakhodka | 01.11.2019 | Murmansk | 24.11.2019 | 11,2 |
Among 37 transits only 6 were needed icebreaker support, that was provided by “Vaygach” and “Yamal” icebreakers.
Total amount of cargo that was shipped by transit voyages is 697 277 thousand tons:
- Liquid cargo: 333 499
- Bulk: 175 121
- General cargo: 169 067
- Containers: 6 741
- Fish: 12 848
The presented information is based on the data from the NSR Administration and observations of CHNL Information Office.