Start of eastbound voyages on the NSR in 2024

On 1 July, the summer-autumn navigation season starts at the NSR.

Until this date, only vessels with at least Arc-4 ice class are allowed to operate in this water area. From the beginning of July sea ice cover decreases and makes it possible to use vessels with low or no ice reinforcement. Everything depends on specific ice conditions in the area. Most favorable period for navigation usually observed from mid-August to early October. In this period NSR transit traffic and export of mineral resources eastward became more active.

The first vessel to start a transit navigation on NSR in summer 2024 is Arc-7 ice class oil tanker “Shturman Skuratov”, with a LOA of 249 m and a DWT of 41 041 tons. Ship usually works in year-round export of crude oil from the Arctic Gate Terminal in Ob Bay. The ship left the port of Murmansk on June 16, presumably after unloading 35,400 tons of crude oil to RPK «Nord» in Kola Bay. At the time of publication on June 24, the tanker is proceeding in ballast at the East Siberian Sea heading to the port of Kozmino. This port is a crude oil export terminal near the port of Nakhodka in eastern Russia. So far she goes on her own without icebreaker assistance and is scheduled to arrive at the destination on July 11.

Photo mt “Shturman Skuratov” (Source: Marine Traffic, © D. Lobusov)

Track of mt “Shturman Skuratov” 16.06-24.06.24 (Source: Spire Shipview)

The Arc 7 LNG carrier “Eduard Toll” became the first LNG-type vessel to start eastbound deliveries of LNG cargo in summer 2024. The ship left the port of Sabetta on 21 June and is escorted by a nuclear icebreaker “Sibir”. On 24 June she is in the Laptev Sea, destination port is unknown.

Photo LNG carrier “Eduard Toll” (Source: Teekey.com)

LNG carrier “Eduard Toll” 21.06-24.06.24 (Source: Spire Shipview)

More LNG carriers for summer season.

Usually during the summer season additional LNG carriers of lower ice class are used for LNG export.  This year, 13 such vessels have already received permits to operate in NSR waters. Below is the table that displays main characteristics of these vessels. The list is not final, other vessels may appear. It should also be noted that having a permit does not mean that the vessel necessarily goes to the NSR. 

Table 1. List of LNG carriers of lower ice class that can be used for LNG export. Update 24.06.24

IMO	Vessel Name	Ice class	Flag	LOA	DWT	Owner or operator	Permit Start date
9834296	LNG_Dubhe	No	Hong Kong	289	97 000	ARCTIC RED LNG SHIPPING LIMITED	01.07.24
9834313	LNG_Phecda	No	Hong Kong	291	97 000	Arctic Orange LNG Shipping Limited	01.07.24
9834301	LNG_Merak	No	Hong Kong	295	97 000	Arctic Yellow LNG Shipping Limited	01.07.24
9781920	Seapeak_Yamal	No	Bahamas	294	91 610	XIANG CH2 HK INTERNATIONAL SHIP LEASE CO	01.07.24
9834325	LNG_Megrez	No	Hong Kong	295	91 500	ARTIC INDIGO LNG SHIPPING LIMITED	01.07.24
9655456	Clean_Vision	Arc 4	Malta	289	89 831	Olinda Limited	01.07.24
9655444	Clean_Horizon	Arc 4	Malta	289	89 831	Avoca Maritime Corp. Limited	01.07.24
9953523	North Sky	Arc 4	Panama	293	88 809	Novatek Asia	01.07.24
9953509	North Air	Arc 4	Panama	293	88 636	Novatek Asia	01.07.24
9953511	North Mountain	Arc 4	Panama	293	88 636	Novatek Asia	01.07.24
9953535	North Way	Arc 4	Panama	293	88 636	Novatek Asia	01.07.24
9629598	Lena_River	Arc 4	Marshall Islands	288	84 585	Solana Holding LTD.	01.07.24
9629586	Yenisey_River	Arc 4	Marshall Islands	288	84 565	Navajo Marine Limited	01.07.24

*Further on in the text, we only consider those vessels that have an official IMO number. Barges and various auxiliary fleets from river shipping register are not included.

Other ships with NSR transit permissions.  

In addition to the LNG carriers, many other vessels have obtained permits to work at the NSR. Here we cite only those vessels that have in their permit a direct indication of transit voyage. Among them we see 3 big container ships, 3 big tankers, 1 general cargo ship and several fishing vessels.

Table 2. List of vessels with a permit for a transit voyage along the NSR. Update 24.06.24

IMO	Vessel Name	Ice class	Type	Flag	LOA	DWT	Owner or operator	Valid from
9200811	Flying_Fish_1	Ice 1	Container	Panama	294	66 781	Safetrans Line	01.08.24
9253296	SFT EGYPT	No	Container	Liberia	260	48 848	Safetrans Line	01.08.24
9238753	SFT_Turkey	No	Container	Panama	260	50 812	Safetrans Line	01.08.24
9623609	Xin_Xin_Hai_1	Ice 2	General cargo	China	166	29 011	Yangpu Newnew	15.07.24
9511521	Moskovsky_Prospect	Ice 3	Tanker	Gabon	250	113 867	Sovcomflot	15.07.24
9413547	NS_Arctic	Ice 3	Tanker	Gabon	250	111 107	Sovcomflot	02.08.24
9305568	SCF_Baltica	Arc 5	Tanker	Gabon	250	117 153	Sovcomflot	15.07.24
7712937	Jupiter	Ice 1	Fishing	Russia	68	1 251	OOO Antey	10.07.24
7704708	Olafsson	Ice 1	Fishing	Russia	71	1 552	OOO Antey	10.07.24
8408258	ANTARES	No	Reefer	Russia	71	1 343	OOO Antey Sever	01.08.24
8516615	Progress	Arc 4	Reefer	Russia	103	3 750	OOO Transrechflot	15.07.24

In addition to vessels that have NSR transit passage explicitly stated in their permits, there are vessels that have received permits without transit passage wording. But they have all zones of NSR from western to easter boundaries included, so they also can transit the NSR. For example, “Shturman Skuratov” has such a permit. Most of the vessels in this category received permits during the winter navigation period and have ice class not lower than Arc 4. The total number of vessels that have received permits to operate in the NSR water area is increasing daily. Most of the new ships suppose start operations in July. We will periodically update information on NSR transits and other activities during this season.