One more journey confirmed the opportunity to prolong navigation on the Northern Sea Route

On the 2nd of June the nuclear-powered icebreaker of Atomflot “Yamal” completed icebreaking support of the gas tanker “Vladimir Voronin” near Cape Serdtse-Kamen of the Chukchi Sea. The ships went on the eastern area of the Northern Sea Route. This journey was the second after the super early experimental icebreaking support of the tanker “Christophe de Margerie”.

The gas tanker “Vladimir Voronin” with cargo left the port of Sabetta on the 24th of May and went towards the Kara Sea. The next day the ship was placed under support of the nuclear-powered icebreaker “50 Let Pobedy”, and the group of ships went in the eastern direction. For the first time in the history of arctic navigation a Yamalmax-class vessel passed Matisen Strait in the south of the Nordenskjold Archipelago. The passage on one of the narrowest straits in the Arctic requires high professional skills from the crew, as the communications department of “Atomflot” informs.

After leaving the ice fringe of Vilkitsky Strait, the nuclear-powered icebreaker “50 Let Pobedy” completed support of the ship on the 27th of May. The tanker - gas carrier independently passed the Laptev Sea and a part of the East Siberian Sea along the route recommended by the marine operations headquarters of FSUE “Atomflot”. In the area of Pevek on the 1st of June the ship was taken under support of the nuclear-powered icebreaker “Yamal”, which completed icebreaking support of “Christophe de Margerie” the day before. In total, “Vladimir Voronin” passed 760 nautical miles under icebreaking support.

“The rapid response of the marine operations headquarters to changes in the ice situation allowed laying the optimal route for the group of ships”, said Mustafa Kashka, the director general of “Atomflot”. – “The well-coordinated team work of the crews of the nuclear-powered icebreakers and the marine operations headquarters of Rosatomflot is the key to the success of icebreaking support of the ships in waters of the Northern Sea Route. Today we are guaranteed to extend navigation in the eastern direction up to 9-10 months and provide our partners with access to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region”.