Naryshkin called the Northern Sea Route one of the most promising transportation arteries in the world

The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is one of the most promising transportation arteries in the world, and the strategic decision to develop it has fully justified itself. This was stated on January 23 by Sergei Naryshkin, Chairman of the Russian Historical Society (RHS) and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of the Russian Federation, during a roundtable discussion on the history of the Northern Sea Route development.

As the SVR Director noted, in the post-war period in the USSR, the development of the Northern Sea Route continued thanks to the emergence of the nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet. Last year it celebrated its 65th anniversary since its creation. Now RIO considers popularization of the history of the Northern Sea Route as one of its priority directions.

"Today our country has eight nuclear-powered icebreakers, which ensure year-round operation of the Northern Sea Route and are building several more. Looking back in the past, we can confidently say that the strategic decision to develop the Northern Sea Route has fully justified itself," Naryshkin said.

The presence of such a unique transportation artery in itself is already a "natural competitive advantage" for Russia, the SVR chief pointed out.

"Russia has established itself as a great Arctic power, and the sea route from Sakhalin to Kaliningrad is becoming one of the most promising transportation arteries in the world," he said.

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At the end of December 2024, First Deputy Minister for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Gadzhimagomed Huseynov said that a record 37.3 million tons of cargo were transported along the Northern Sea Route at the end of the year. Huseynov also added that in 2024 the headquarters for cargo delivery to the Far East was launched. At the same time, the number of railcars not transported was reduced from 1,583 to two.

Earlier, on December 18, the president of the National Research Center (NRC) "Kurchatov Institute" Mikhail Kovalchuk spoke at a meeting of the Russian Maritime Board about innovative shipbuilding technologies being introduced in the country. He reported on the commissioning of new nuclear-powered icebreakers of the 2220 series, one of which is under construction in St. Petersburg.