Rosatom called the Northern Sea Route safe for ships without ice class

Tankers without ice class can safely navigate the Northern Sea Route in summer and autumn, Rosatom representatives told the Financial Times. Thus, in a state corporation commented information about the possible risks of an oil spill during the voyage of the tankers Leonid Loza and NS Bravo with cargo for China along the Northern Sea Route.

Two tankers received permission to sail along the Northern Sea Route in August. The ships, with “thin hulls,” according to the FT, set sail for China in early September and navigated “one of the most dangerous ice passages on the planet” for the first time. Rosatom told the publication that the vessels were subject to strict inspections, and environmental considerations “have always been and remain the top priority” of the state corporation.

“Improved navigation conditions in the summer and autumn months allow non-ice-class vessels to operate safely,” the company said.

Tankers without ice class were allowed to sail along the Northern Sea Route amid the introduction of sanctions against Russian oil; the decision allows to reduce the time of its delivery to Asian markets, writes FT. Sailing from the port of Primorsk to China through the Suez Canal takes 45 days; using the Northern Sea Route, as the newspaper clarifies, reduces it by 10 days.

“Gazprom” reported earlier this week that committed the first delivery of liquefied natural gas via the Northern Sea Route to China. The tanker Veliky Novgorod sailed to China in mid-August. The company noted that this route would make it possible to deliver LNG to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region much faster.