Northern Sea Route Cargo Record Already Broken

Cargo transport between Asia and Europe on the Northern Sea Route (NSR) has reached the one million tons milestone.

The total cargo transported on the NSR is already almost 200 000 tons more than in last year’s season, updated numbers from Rosatomflot show.  35 vessels have transported a total of 1 022 577 tons of different goods between Europe and Asia so far, and the season is not yet over, reports the 'Barents Observer'.

In 2011 34 vessels transported a total of 820 789 tons during the five months the route was open. The sailing season can still last another month. In 2011 the last vessel reached the Pacific Ocean on November 18, marking the longest sailing season on the Northern Sea Route ever.

Petroleum products constitute the largest cargo group on the NSR in 2012. A total of 590 000 tons of diesel fuel, gas condensate, jet fuel and lubricants were transported on 20 vessels. The largest amount to be sent in one shipment was 66 462 tons of jet fuel, delivered from Yosu in South Korea to Porvoo in Finland on the Norwegian tanker “Marika”.

Iron ore was transported from Murmansk to China four times this summer. The Danish shipping company Nordic Bulk Carriers’ two vessels “Nordic Odyssey” and “Nordic Orion” brought a total of 261 903 tons or iron ore from Murmansk to Huanghua.

Source: Barents Observer