On June 6, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the enterprise of the Rosatom State Corporation and the Chinese shipping company Hainan Yangpu NewNew Shipping Co. Ltd signed an agreement of intent on the organization of a year-round container line between the ports of Russia and China using the waters of the Northern Sea Route.

The document was signed by Vladimir Panov, Special Representative for Arctic Development of Rosatom State Corporation, and Chairman of Hainan Yangpu NewNew Shipping Co. Ltd Fan Yuxin.

According to the document, the organization of a year-round container line between the ports of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China involves the creation of a joint venture for the design and construction of high-ice class container ships and joint operation of the Arctic container line.

Vladimir Panov noted: “We see an increasing interest in the NSR from Asian partners. NewNew Shipping made seven voyages via the NSR last year. We expect up to 12 trips this year. Our main task is to build up to five Arctic-class vessels that will allow the company to operate on the Northern Sea Route all year round. In addition, we have agreed with the Government of the People’s Republic of China to establish a subcommittee on the NSR. We will determine its composition by August, and we intend to hold the first meeting in October. The goal of the sub-commission is to reach 50 million tons of cargoes per year.”

“The Arctic route is indeed an important strategic transport solution for international trade between China and Russia. Our shipping company has become a participant in the development and implementation of the Northern Sea Route. And we plan to develop and expand investments in the construction of high Arctic class container ships for year-round operation,” said the chairman of Hainan Yangpu NewNew Shipping Co. Ltd Fan Yuxin.

FOR REFERENCE

In 2018, the Government of the Russian Federation granted Rosatom State Corporation the authority of the infrastructure operator of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). In December 2019, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the Plan for the development of the NSR infrastructure until 2035, developed by Rosatom. One of the strategic goals is to make the NSR an effective transport artery connecting Europe, Russia and the Asia-Pacific region.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is one of the most important events in the CIS economic space. The main theme of SPIEF-2024 is ‘The Formation of New Areas of Growth as the Cornerstone of a Multipolar World’. Forum participants discuss the prospects for the development of healthcare and pharmaceuticals, the modern labour market, new technologies, the development of the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route, and much more. Rosatom is the title partner of the SPIEF-2024.

The integrated development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is one of the strategic priorities of the state. Increasing the volume of traffic through the NSR is of paramount importance for solving the tasks set in the field of transport and cargo delivery. The development of this logistics corridor is ensured through the establishment of regular cargo transportation, the construction of new nuclear icebreakers and the modernization of the relevant infrastructure. The enterprises of the Rosatom State Corporation are actively involved in this work.

by pr