Rosatom expects cargo traffic along Northern Sea Route to rise 14% in 2026 - CEO

MOSCOW. Sept 1 (Interfax) - Rosatom state nuclear energy corporation expects the volume of cargo transported along the Northern Sea Route to rise 14% in 2026, CEO Alexei Likhachev said.

"Cargo traffic along the NSR has been at a record levels of over 37 million tonnes for the past two years. We expect another year of record growth of around 14% year-on-year this year," Likhachev said in an interview with the Expert publication.

Likhachev noted the growing interest of Chinese carriers in the NSR route, saying that shipments between Chinese and Russian ports accounted for nearly 15% of NSR cargo traffic at 5.4 million tonnes out of 37.02 million tonnes total in 2025.

Likhachev noted that 23 container voyages operated between Chinese and Russian ports along the NSR last year, adding that Chinese carriers are planning more than 30 voyages in 2026.

"There are eight voyages planned from Ningbo, China, to the UK port of Felixstowe in August-October this year," Likhachev said.

As reported, the first transit voyage along the Northern Sea Route from China to Europe took place last year. The journey through the Russian Arctic took 20 days, nearly half the time of traditional southern routes.