Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed off on a comprehensive project that will further the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), the press center of RF Government informed. NSR is the shortest route connecting Europe with the Far East, with the Asia-Pacific region, with the western part of North America. According to the Deputy Head of the Cabinet Arkadiy Dvorkovich, Russia issues around 600 permits annually to transport cargo via the route, with around 4 million tons of cargo delivered each year. However, Russia wants to transport much more cargo than that. “The potential estimated for the next 15 years – the time frame of the new comprehensive plan – is more than 80 million tons, that’s a twenty times increase in the volume of cargo,” said Mr. Dvorkovich. The prime minister noted that it will exceed the volume of traffic that existed during the Soviet era. “This goal should be mandatory,” Mr. Medvedev said. According to Mr. Dvorkovich, all the necessary regulatory framework for the project has already been formed. He said the project includes six major components, such as navigation and hydrographic support. In addition, there is no fully functioning system to regulate maritime traffic and ensure the protection of ...
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