Sinking of russian cargo ship threatens vital Arctic route
The Russian cargo ship "Ursa Major" sank earlier this week in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria. On board were components for the new nuclear-powered icebreaker "Rossiya," reports the Norwegian online newspaper "The Barents Observer."
The ship "Ursa Major," owned by Oborologistics LLC, sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday, December 23. Of the 16 crew members, 14 were rescued, and two are still missing.
According to the Norwegian newspaper "The Barents Observer," the ship transported cargo from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok. On board were two large cranes and two reactor covers weighing 50 US tons, each intended for the new nuclear-powered icebreaker "Rossiya."
These covers, such as handling spent nuclear fuel, are used during reactor maintenance.
Problems with the construction of the "Rossiya" icebreaker
"Rossiya," currently the only nuclear-powered icebreaker being built in Russia, is under construction at the Bolshoi Kamen shipyard. The construction faces numerous delays and cost overruns. The first pressure vessel for one of the two RITM-400 reactors was ready in 2022.
The new icebreaker is set to be the most powerful vessel of its kind in Russia, with reactors producing 315 MW. Its purpose is to support LNG transportation from the Yamal region to Asia, enabling navigation through the most challenging icy areas.
The sinking of "Ursa Major" and the loss of the reactor covers could further delay the construction of the "Rossiya." Rosatomflot plans to use the icebreaker to break ice on routes through the East Siberian Sea and the Chukchi Sea, where the ice is the thickest. This is crucial for increasing LNG exports from Russia to Asia.
A strategic project for Russia
The so-called Arctic Route, for which the icebreaker is necessary, aims to help Russia mitigate the effects of Western sanctions imposed after it invaded Ukraine while also strengthening Moscow's pivot towards Asian powers, such as China and India. The problem is that Vladimir Putin lacks the fleet to navigate the problematic corridor.
According to analysts at PISM, the maritime connection through the Arctic would shorten the journey from Asia to Europe by 30% compared to the southern maritime route through the Suez Canal. The route from the Chinese port of Dalian to Rotterdam via the northern route would be 5,000 nautical miles shorter than the Suez Canal crossing.
According to statistics presented by Kommersant, 30 Russian vessels operated on the Arctic Route last year. These included 17 gas carriers and tankers from Novatek, 7 tankers from Gazprom Neft, and 6 ships from Norilsk Nickel.
Shipments in this direction increased to 40 million tons in 2023; by May 2024, 78 million tons had been transported. However, the plans are much more ambitious, with the volume of shipments on the Northern Sea Route estimated at 58–165 million tons for 2030 and 242 million tons by 2035, according to the Russian economic newspaper. The cost of developing the routes reaches 10,7 billion CAD.
