The IX International Forum “The Arctic Region: The Present and the Future” started in St Petersburg and focused on topical issues of the development of Russia’s Arctic zone. The participants in the forum, including heads of Russian regions, representatives of federal and regional authorities, systemically important companies, scientific educational and public organizations, discussed the development of cargo shipment infrastructure on the Northern Sea Route, digital technology during the exploration of northern territories, technology advancement in the Arctic conditions and other topics.

The business agenda of the forum involved FSUE “Rosmorport” Deputy General Director for Project Development Boris Tashimov and directors of the branches carrying out the activities in the seaports of the Arctic Basin.

Quality and navigation safety were the major topics at the conference “The Northern Sea Route”. Director of the FSUE “Rosmorport” Arkhangelsk Branch Kirill Gaida presented the enterprise’s Arctic competences to the audience. These are pilotage and icebreaker support, the operation of the vessel tracking management centers and navigation and surveying facilities.

The Arkhangelsk Branch has necessary modern equipment, technical equipment and vessels to ensure navigation safety and the environment protection in the Arctic region, including in the water area of the Northern Sea Route.

The participants in a session “From Icebreakers and Tankers to Renovating the Fishing Fleet: Means to Explore the Arctic Zone” focused on issues related to renovating the icebreaker fleet and ensure all-year navigation in Arctic seas. Chief of the FSUE “Rosmorport|” Department for the Fleet Service Vladimir Vinogradov spoke about the composition, technical characteristics and the icebreaker fleet geographical spread.

He noted that icebreakers of the enterprise render services in water areas of the Artic Basin seas. They also provide all-year navigation in the waters of the Gulf of Ob and the seaport of Sabetta and take part in polar research expeditions.

In August-September 2019 the FSUE “Rosmorport” icebreakers, the Dikson and the Novorossiysk, carried out the unique towing operation of the Academik Lomonosov floating nuclear power unit to the seaport of Pevek to the seaport of Murmansk. This November the Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker left the seaport of Murmansk to take part in the MOSAiC international polar expedition designed for studying the Artic Region’s impact on the global climate.

Till the yearend FSUE “Rosmorport” fleet will be expanded by a new icebreaker, the Viktor Chernomyrdin, of Icebreaker8 Class with the capacity of 25 Mwatt. The icebreaker is designed for providing icebreaker support and towing of vessels and it can take part in rescue operations and scientific expeditions in the Arctic Region and on the Antarctic Continent.

FSUE “Rosmorport” has been highly assessed in dredging activities and northern latitudes. This year the enterprise’s dredgers, the Severnaya Dvina and the Beloye More, carried out operations to restore depths for safe navigation in the seaport of Sabetta. In a very short time of the summer navigation they excavated over 1.1 million cubic meters of bottom. The modern, powerful and efficient dredger, the Yuri Maslyukov, that FSUE “Rosmorport will get from the Onego Shipyard this year, is also designed for operating in severe climatic conditions of the Arctic Region.