Promising areas of development of the Northern Sea Route to ensure Russia's economic security

Abstract

The materials in this publication are devoted to the primary tasks that need to be resolved due to the need to reach a new level of operation of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), in terms of increasing the volume of movement of ice-class ships with raw materials and bulk. The study analyzes the available scientific articles in electronic and printed publications on this topic and, based on the information they contain about the objective picture of the global maritime cargo transportation industry and existing problematic aspects in the context of international market competition, identifies promising areas for the development of the architecture of the Northern Sea Route to ensure Russia's economic security. 

Conclusions were drawn about the high level of demand for the upgrade of the NSR management, the widespread introduction of a warning system about potential hazards of climatic and ice conditions throughout the shipping route, the improvement of existing and construction of new modern multimodal port facilities, and the expansion of the fleet of Arctic, including nuclear, high-class ships. 

The planned year-round use of the six seas of the Arctic Ocean bordering the coastal zone of the Russian Federation, an increase in transit and coastal transportation along the NSR will become the most important marker of our country's economic sovereignty, which will ensure reliable communications of territorial entities, leading positions in global logistics, create the basis for further growth of the latest transport technologies and related scientific research, develop bases of the Russian Navy.

At the same time, the struggle for the Arctic, its natural resources and sea routes launched by a number of northern states gives a special impetus to accelerating the development of the Arctic exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation in order to strengthen its economic and military presence in these territories as part of ensuring Russia's national security.