Last year fishing companies Dobroflot and Norebo both shipped fish from the Far East to Euroean Russia via the northern sea route, and there is interest in using the route again this year.
Petr Savchuk, deputy head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, has held meetings on organisation of shipments via the northern sea route with bodies including the state corporation Rosatoms and Rosatomflot, and fishing and industry associations.
‘The development of transportation along the northern sea route will reduce time, while the cost of delivery will be lower than by rail or road,’Petr Savchuk said.
Discussions have focused on using nuclear-powered cargo carrier Sevmorput which can carry approximately 200 ISO-40 containers and its modernisation is expected to be complete by the end of June before it arrives in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in August.
At least two sailings are proposed for this year and the working group is waiting for information from the industry on the expected volumes in order to plan schedules.
‘We must have an action plan before 30th March. Atomflot will provide us with cost proposals, and by 15th April, we need to discuss cargo,’ Petr Savchuk said.
Currently, the Seroglazka terminal in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is expected to be the main loading point, and the ports of Arkhangelsk and Ust-Luga in the Leningrad Region are considered as destinations. Proposals for transporting seafood products by the northern sea route have already been supported by the Russian government’s Marine Board.
