Sevmorput master going ...

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Does Russia have a chance to fill its budget thanks to the use of its geographical position - as a major world transit power? The discussion here is primarily about freight transit, and this was the topic for the government meeting this week. The main issue that was raised at the ministerial level of the federal government during the meeting was the possibility of increasing the volume of freight traffic across the Northern Sea Route. If readers try to follow the discussion of this issue by representatives of the domestic cabinet of ministers, they will rightly note that the Northern Sea Route’s problems are discussed “at the top” rather actively, but all these discussions have yet to bring tangible fruits, unfortunately.

So, first about the super-ambitious task that was set up during the discussion: by 2030, the volume of freight traffic through the Northern Sea Route should grow as much as 20 times! About this, in particular, said the first deputy chairman of the government Arkady Dvorkovich.

The concept of “must grow”, as is well known, differs significantly from the concept “may or may not grow”, and therefore the carrying capacity of the Northern Sea Route and its attractiveness for Russian and foreign cargo carriers should be discussed separately.

What we have today with the volume of transportation of goods through the SMP? We have 4 million tons. This figure was voiced by the aforementioned Dvorkovich. On the one hand, this is a good figure, given the fact that more in modern Russia (from 1991) on the Northern Sea Route has not yet been transported. 4 mln. Tons, for example, is 4 times higher than in 2010. And if you start comparing to the Soviet comparison, then 4 mln. Tons is inconceivably more than in the 1913 year ... But if you pay attention to the volume of the sample not 1913, but 2013, then that year All the same 4 mln. tons were transported through the Northern Sea Route. In other words, over the past two years, the Northern Sea Route has demonstrated a zero growth rate in freight traffic.

Another important fact: the preservation of freight rates at 4 mln. Tonnes was due, so to speak, to the search for internal reserves - in particular, the opening of a new port, used mainly for loading hydrocarbons produced in the Far North. We are talking about the port of Sabetta (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District). The port provides cargo transshipment at the South Tambey gas and condensate field. The first ships began to load in Sabetta in the fall of 2013 of the year. And if it were not for the activation of cargo transportation thanks to this northern port, the volume of maritime transport through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) would have significantly decreased, as transit volumes reduced companies from Southeast Asia who have experienced what the Northern Sea Route itself has been.

Sevmorput master going ...


It was against this background that the government stated that in 15 years, the volume of freight traffic across the Northern Sea Route should grow to 80 million tons. This, by the way, is about a third of the transit indicators of the traffic of the Panama Canal.

How is the Russian government going to attract foreign companies that are engaged in sea freight from Europe to South-East Asia and back? The first thing that is said at any government meeting on the development of the Northern Sea Route is the fact that the passage of ships through the NSR is much shorter in distance than the passage through the Panama or Suez Canals. In some cases of transit from the European to the East Asian port, the distance during the transition through the NSR is significantly lower. Such a “savings” in mileage is up to a third of the way.

It would seem, what else do you need to operate in a conversation with cargo carriers? A third less in the distance, which means a third less in cost ... But in the case of the Northern Sea Route, there is no direct proportionality between nautical miles and rubles (dollars, yuan, etc.). The reason, in principle, is obvious. Time of movement along the Northern Sea Route in some cases, frankly, is not much different from the time of movement along a route, for example, through the Suez Canal, if again we are talking about transit from Europe to South-East Asia and back. The point is in the speed of movement, which is by definition higher in the more southern sea latitudes, because in the case of movement along the Northern Sea Route often (very often) you have to use the services of an icebreaker. And the existing icebreakers simply by the nature of their work, as it happens, do not develop "cosmic" speeds ... But even if you try to pass the Northern Sea Route in the "ice-free" mode (which is only seasonal, and even that is risky), then you need to talk about ice-class vessels , the use of which costs significantly more expensive than the operation of conventional dry cargo vessels, tankers, etc. So it turns out that the ship seems to be saving on fuel when crossing the Northern Sea Route, but at the same time, the savings can be reduced to no Rata is not determined distance of the route and travel time and the ship's class.

However, if everything was so pessimistic, and if there was no way to extract any benefits from the movement along the Northern Sea Route, then China, for example, would hardly have plans to raise the volume of freight traffic through the NSR to the same 2030 year before 15% of the total volumes. Given the fact that China is among the largest maritime freight forwarders, these plans of the PRC should positively affect the workload of the NSR. However, China will obviously not “drive” its vessels through the Arctic Ocean if everything on the Northern Sea Route remains the same as it does now - without a relatively developed port infrastructure, without a guaranteed cargo security system in difficult Arctic weather conditions.

That is why - to improve the infrastructure and service systems of the NSR (including to increase the speed of the courts) - the government is going to invest in the most serious ways. Of course, it was not China that pushed for investments in the Northern Sea Route, but with the understanding that the Northern Sea Route could become a really profitable route for maritime freight in the near future. In the end, for the transportation of goods, for example, from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok by sea, the alternative to the NSR is difficult to consider, if we proceed from the issue of pragmatism and the development strategy of this traffic direction.

The government is going to invest in the construction of new icebreakers. This so-called super-atomic icebreaker is a real monster of the northern seas, capable of breaking ice up to 400 cm thick. It is also “shallow-sitting” icebreakers that will be used to guide the vessels of the Yamal-LNG project. The more ships will be in the icebreaker segment fleet Russia, so to speak, will become more alive on the Northern Sea Route.

For example, on May 26, a solemn ceremony of laying down the first 22220 project’s first all-purpose universal nuclear-powered icebreaker took place at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The same enterprise is also building the lead universal nuclear icebreaker of this project. Reactor installations for new icebreakers are manufactured at Atomenergomash enterprises. The Afrikantov OKBM is the developer and complete supplier for the project.



The head icebreaker LC-60 of the 22220 project has a length of 173,3 m, width - 34 m, draft on the design waterline - 10,5 m, minimum operating draft - 8,55 meter, displacement - 33,54 ths. Tons. The icebreaker is planned to be used in the western region of the Arctic: in the Barents, Pechora and Kara seas, as well as in the shallower parts of the mouth of the Yenisei and in the Ob Bay area. The total value of the contract at the time of signing is 39,9 billion rubles. Deadline - 30 December 2017 of the year.

In addition to the construction of new icebreakers for the development of the Northern Sea Route, it is planned to continue the improvement of the port infrastructure, which will allow creating several large transshipment points by 2018, which can reduce the total cost of transporting cargo in the northern latitudes.

If all this work is implemented, the Northern Sea Route is indeed capable of becoming the most important direction both for the economical transit of foreign cargo, as well as for the large-scale transportation of goods between Russian regions. But to realize these goals, working in the form of government meetings alone will obviously not be enough.
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  1. +13
    11 June 2015 06: 30
    Article plus! The Northern Sea Route was, is and will be! Without the use of the Northern Sea Route, we will not be able to master the fully tundra zone of Siberia and not only the tundra zone, transport communications will go from sea ports on the northern coast to the south of Siberia and this will eventually revive Great Siberia.
    1. +5
      11 June 2015 07: 07
      And not only Siberia, but the entire Far East and sea transport. Development goes under large-scale projects.
      1. 0
        11 June 2015 19: 01
        Yes! Far East too.
    2. kig
      +2
      11 June 2015 10: 10
      The article (and at the corresponding government meeting) did not discuss the development of northern riches, which, of course, would be very difficult to carry out without sea transport, but about the possibility of replenishing the budget through the transit of goods through the NSR. And these are a few other things.
      1. 0
        11 June 2015 11: 08
        Quote: kig
        The article (and at the corresponding government meeting) did not discuss the development of northern riches, which, of course, would be very difficult to carry out without sea transport, but about the possibility of replenishing the budget through the transit of goods through the NSR. And these are a few other things.

        The second without the first is very problematic. If we ourselves do not arrange the transportation of "northern riches" with a high degree of guarantee, then who will swim there, as they say, at random.
    3. 0
      12 June 2015 05: 15
      Does Russia have chances to fill its budget through the use of its geographical location - as a major global transit power?

      It is vital and monetary necessary!
      Investing in the modern development of the Russian segment of the North will pay off and will make a profit, regardless of the foreign exchange rate and the exchange value of oil!
      To make normal ports, cargo terminals, housing infrastructure, well, appropriate wages - people themselves will stretch, as in Soviet times!
      Yes, and the country profits from transportation and escort of foreign ships!
      So there are chances here, only the owner is needed with his hands!
    4. 0
      14 June 2015 00: 49
      It’s time to turn from real chatter to real business. We need to build several service bases on the Northern Sea Route in order to serve the cargo flow and equipment, as well as actively develop joint enterprises with transformers in the production of machinery, equipment, products for various purposes and applications! we will even more tightly bind transit to the Northern Sea Route.
  2. +14
    11 June 2015 07: 25
    The Northern Sea Route is not only the transit of goods, it is the gateway to the incredible wealth of mineral resources. As far as I remember, there is only coal for the rest of my life in store. I remember how every year our geophysicists with great difficulty but nevertheless fell to the tail of the Arctic Geophysical Expedition of the Academy of Sciences, and when they returned to Sverdlovsk, they excitedly talked about how much and what lies behind the Arctic Circle. There was not even any talk about gas and oil: our institute was mainly concerned with ores. I then had the firm conviction that there is EVERYTHING. Well, maybe with the exception of uranium. And then: not sure. There is still drilling, drilling and drilling. The North is our EVERYTHING.
    1. +5
      11 June 2015 12: 31
      Quote: retired
      The Northern Sea Route is not only the transit of goods, it is the gateway to the incredible wealth of mineral resources.

      I think that SEVMORPUT is an analogue of BAM, only a little more, on a larger scale and no less important thing. We need more global projects for the country. So that we don't "swim in fat".
    2. +3
      11 June 2015 16: 11
      In addition to minerals, the Northern Sea Route is the road to the revitalization of Siberia and the Arctic coast. New cities, roads, and infrastructure will intensify shipping along the Siberian rivers. Where for tens of kilometers only bears shit, civilization will appear. We have 80 percent of the population located in the European part of the Russian Federation. If a war begins with NATO, there are almost no chances for these 80 percent of the population to survive under nuclear attack. At the same time, if the population is more evenly distributed over the territory, it will survive much more. And finally, the Northern Sea Route is our BAM and one of those projects that will feed our descendants, how long the Soviet legacy fed us. By the way, some 10-12 icebreakers of various types are under construction now and plans are still being built. Here you have the high-tech industries, which we allegedly do not have.
      1. 0
        13 June 2015 03: 07
        Quote: g1v2
        the population will be more evenly distributed throughout the territory

        hmm, no offense be said, but I would like to see Muscovites in the NORTH. NORTH, my friend, he is severe, and he doesn’t tolerate people with rotten spirit, I was born and raised there, I have seen many of these, I will tell you CLEANING! all the rot is screened out, here the vipers do not survive, the dermis is certainly enough there, but it filters the north and filters it, and it educates, so it’s not so simple, all the more so since it’s a lot to master these territories, there’s no forest, there’s no energy, what’s easier than drowning? you don’t even stock dung there, first you need to find coal / gas to master / get the simplest brick for the stove to bring for thousands of km. and so on for every little thing.
    3. +1
      11 June 2015 21: 36
      It happened, over the season, using ore methods, I collected a good collection of samples on a small patch, only 2000 sq km.
  3. +12
    11 June 2015 07: 52
    Maybe it’s better to wait with the fossils until the people turn their neck to the oligarchs - they will be more whole and will not leave the hill.
    1. +3
      11 June 2015 11: 08
      Quote: Blondy
      until the people turn their neck to the oligarchs

      How about the 17th? This is not the way they already went, why repeat it. I prefer a certain reason, the NKVD of the 21st century. Shock the thief, let the money back, but not worth killing. Take at least Khoroshavin. Take away not one pen from him, but all and build an icebreaker.
      1. 0
        11 June 2015 18: 33
        Uncle. And unless these blood oligarchs give stolen funds !!!
  4. +1
    11 June 2015 07: 54
    Definitely need to develop. Talk about this has been going on for decades, but the pace is depressing. But this is not only economically feasible, but also strategically. What fuss in the world for the Arctic is gaining momentum ??? So the presence of such a transport artery as an NSR with all the infrastructure for Russia is necessary ....
  5. +1
    11 June 2015 07: 54
    Definitely need to develop. Talk about this has been going on for decades, but the pace is depressing. But this is not only economically feasible, but also strategically. What fuss in the world for the Arctic is gaining momentum ??? So the presence of such a transport artery as an NSR with all the infrastructure for Russia is necessary ....
  6. +1
    11 June 2015 09: 18
    China has no less problems with their Silk Road, but they solve it. And most importantly, they and everyone else have confidence that they will do it.
    1. +3
      11 June 2015 09: 35
      Definitely need to develop! Cargo transit is, of course, good, but the main thing is the development of our own territories, infrastructure, the development of our own wealth, which beyond the Arctic Circle is simply unmeasured. The development of the NSR will immediately give an impetus to the development of our river fleet, and the regions through which large Siberian rivers flow - the Ob, Yenisei, Indigirka, Kolyma, Lena, etc.
  7. 0
    11 June 2015 09: 48
    however, what is being closed is not developing, look for information about the oil port of Vitino and the Belomorsk oil depot in the village of Beloye More, which went bankrupt and destroyed, closing both the oil depot and the oil port with new berths to the north sea route in the White Sea
    1. jjj
      +1
      11 June 2015 10: 33
      Well, it’s not very convenient to carry out global transshipment of oil products from near Kandalaksha. There is a base near Arkhangelsk in Talagy. There, foreign tankers with good deadweight were loaded, and the railway line was reliable, and a large industrial hub was nearby. One thing is that the shallow Birch Bar does not allow large-tonnage vessels to pass through. During the war years, even "liberty" could not pass. That is why, about twenty years ago, sketches were made for a project to build an oil terminal near Severodvinsk. There is a industrial hub, a railway track, and a tank farm. And the depths are normal.
      And on "Belomorskaya Base", if there is an installation, the owners will move with amazing zeal
      1. 0
        11 June 2015 11: 10
        Do you want to say you need to close existing ports and count on mythical installations?
        if the port is closed then it is forever impossible to bankrupt it already under that name on all maps it is unfortunately not temporary
      2. +1
        11 June 2015 11: 12
        it’s not very convenient in what sense? port and depths under 100 thousandths, nothing overgrows with algae, no need to clean itp
  8. kig
    +3
    11 June 2015 10: 32
    Theoretically, this is possible, but in practice, most likely, it will turn out as always. Back in Soviet times, the transit route for container transportation from SE to Europe was intensively advertised. Theoretically, it looked very attractive: 10 days from the Eastern port to Brest instead of 20 through the Suez Canal. And where are these cargo flows? Still in handouts. And this despite the fact that in this case, shipowners did not have to incur additional costs - the container is a container, they carry it by sea or by rail. To navigate the northern seas, special vessels with a powerful propulsion system and a robust hull are needed. They cost one and a half times more expensive than usual, so it’s not at all a fact that the shipowner will decide to order such a fleet, having ahead the vague prospects of a possible acceleration of cargo delivery. The government is sharing other people's money, and the owner of the money has not even decided whether he will spend it, as our ministers expect.
    In the Far Eastern Shipping Company there was a "recommended route" for sailing to North America - through the Bering Sea, in a great circle. It was 300 miles shorter than the straight path. The whole thing is that cyclones and typhoons moved along these same paths, as a result, among the sailors, there was a joke "300 miles shorter, but 3 days longer."
    1. +2
      11 June 2015 12: 15
      You have not taken into account one factor - the climate on the planet is changing rapidly. As a result of warming, polar bears were threatened with extinction, because due to melting ice they can no longer fully hunt.
      What a long way to go. I live in Cheboksary. As a child, I remember that snow fell already in the second half of October. So, in the last few years, November has become a completely snowless month, and last year the snow generally fell only in mid-December.
      Such climate change cannot but be taken into account in the government of the Russian Federation and, on this basis, adjust the development plans of the Northern Sea Route.
    2. 0
      12 June 2015 06: 09
      Quote: kig
      Theoretically, this is possible, but in practice, most likely, it will turn out as always. Back in Soviet times, the transit route for container transportation from SE to Europe was intensively advertised. Theoretically, it looked very attractive: 10 days from the Eastern port to Brest instead of 20 through the Suez Canal. And where are these cargo flows? Still in handouts. And this despite the fact that in this case, shipowners did not have to incur additional costs - the container is a container, they carry it by sea or by rail. To navigate the northern seas, special vessels with a powerful propulsion system and a robust hull are needed. They cost one and a half times more expensive than usual, so it’s not at all a fact that the shipowner will decide to order such a fleet, having ahead the vague prospects of a possible acceleration of cargo delivery. The government is sharing other people's money, and the owner of the money has not even decided whether he will spend it, as our ministers expect.
      In the Far Eastern Shipping Company there was a "recommended route" for sailing to North America - through the Bering Sea, in a great circle. It was 300 miles shorter than the straight path. The whole thing is that cyclones and typhoons moved along these same paths, as a result, among the sailors, there was a joke "300 miles shorter, but 3 days longer."

      I agree. The Northern Sea Route can develop if Russia itself builds a fleet of container ships and icebreakers. At least for a start on 1 caravan. So, you need to transfer the oil and gas attendants to shipyards and build ships on them.
  9. +2
    11 June 2015 10: 57
    By the way, it is curious that only in the last decade, icebreakers, except for nuclear ones, began to be built with us. Previously ordered and mainly in Finland. So, God forbid, that everything worked out. In any case, I am happy for the Baltic Shipyard, which until recently was on the verge of bankruptcy, and this year was recognized as the best on the naval portal of the St. Petersburg shipyards.
  10. +4
    11 June 2015 11: 08
    And such handsome men will guard the way. The first one is ready.
  11. +1
    11 June 2015 14: 04
    "Does Russia have a chance to fill its budget by using its geographic location - as a major world transit power?"

    It reminds a joke, whether the elephant will eat 2 pounds of bananas, with the answer, he will eat, but who will give it to him?

    There are chances for transportation, but are there any opportunities for using these chances?

    Those who do not use these chances (a shorter route) are concrete people, not abstract ports of departure and arrival.

    Back in Soviet times, the question of the commercial use of the NSR was discussed for a long time and was even put to execution, but perestroika struck ...

    Then similar shamanistic dances with spells were performed near the railway track from Vladivostok and Nakhodka right up to Lisbon. And a similar result was obtained, there is no growth in traffic. Although Yakunin himself administers the business, no worse than with his fur stores.

    Why, for more than 30 years, the NSR still will not become a global water gimmick?

    There are some reasons for this, so what?

    From the article you can understand that the matter is in atomic icebreakers, we’ll build it, then we’ll sail.

    I think that then there will be other reasons for not succeeding, for example, Western sanctions, which could easily prohibit transportation of their companies through the NSR.

    The question is in people, in sovereign people and entrepreneurs, in top management of Russia itself, in their real intentions to create this system of transportation of goods, and not to withdraw the next jackpot from the funds allocated by the state.

    The need is a new business - the elite, and for this - a change in the existing ruling stratum, totally incapable of development.
  12. +1
    11 June 2015 14: 42
    Ports will be built, icebreakers will be lowered into the water. And then there will be a question that the author voiced about the rationality and profitability of using the route. Indeed, as planned, foreign partners will have to use our icebreakers, and this is a waste. Plus, one must not forget about the climatic conditions.
  13. sergey908
    0
    11 June 2015 16: 00
    Just great!
  14. 0
    11 June 2015 16: 32
    Don't forget about China's Silk Road project. First of all, it is high-speed and, moreover, "all-weather". Quite a worthy competitor to the SMP ...
  15. 0
    11 June 2015 16: 55
    By an increase in freight traffic by 20 times along the NSR, it was obviously meant that, with climate change, the development of the Arctic will begin to bear fruit in the form of an increase in oil and gas production, which will lead to an increase in freight traffic.
  16. 0
    11 June 2015 18: 55
    I am a simple person, the so-called philistine, and I understand that the NSR is necessary for Russia, and first of all for the development of the northern and deep regions of SIBERIA. You yourself answer that it’s easier to build a dozen two or three icebreakers or thousands of kilometers of railways with their infrastructure in the hardest climatic conditions. And other states will use this way, it’s their business, they will understand the benefits, they won’t understand. And my opinion is that the NORTHERN SEA WAY! No wonder RUSSIA strengthens and strengthens the northern grouping of the army and border guards.
  17. +2
    11 June 2015 20: 46
    Oh friends, you should drink honey with your lips. I reason like a professional sailor. Not so simple. Firstly, global warming has not yet arrived and this is a zone of risky shipping. A serious breakdown, a hole, a collision, and then for example what? What if a tanker? Gas carrier? Easy to go fix it? And where is the coastal infrastructure? What to do with him?! Oh! on the shore will stand pomors with wrenches? Vessels of a certain icebreaking class must sail. World shipbuilding under this should be sharpened. You have no idea what icebreaking assistance is for a group of vessels whose hull does not meet the ice class. Golovnyak! And loads of different cost and danger. Imagine the big picture.
    And so ... But who is the opposite? fellow
  18. The comment was deleted.
  19. 0
    12 June 2015 06: 16
    Here answer me. It is clear that from Asia to Europe, the Northern route is beneficial. And from the US West Coast to Europe? Rounding costs to Panama. Costs through Panama. Loss of travel time through Panama. Can the northern path compete?
  20. +1
    14 June 2015 11: 12
    By the way, did anyone hear about what will be the series of new nuclear icebreakers? I honestly have not seen such information. I would like to have a series of at least 5-8 buildings. By 2018-2020, most of the existing nuclear will be decommissioned.

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