Summary of Working Paper No. 135-1999

III.01.6 “Cargo-forming Potential of Sakha (Yakutia), Chukot Autonomous District and other Far-Eastern Regions for the Northern Sea Route”

By A. Granberg, Council for Location of Productive Forces (SOPS), Russian Ministry of Economy, Moscow, Russia; G. Kobylkovsky Research Centre for Complex Transport Problems, Ministry of Transport, Moscow, Russia; and V. Plaksin, SojuzmorNIIproekt, Moscow, Russia

The Eastern section of the Russian Arctic is the most complex link of the Arctic marine transport system (AMTS). It is characterized by more severe ice conditions, shorter navigation period, dispersal of customers along the coast given the volumes of shipments are relatively small. The situation is complicated by the economic crisis, manifested in the most severe forms in the north-eastern regions of the Russian Arctic.

The objective of this report is to assess the resources and economic base of the Northeast of Russia and on this basis, to give variants of forecast characteristics of transport-economic likages and cargo flows for the Eastern section of the Northern Sea Route. The report forwards proposals for how the settlements of Northern Sakha and Chukotka should be supplied.

The report concludes that there is a substantial cargo potential in the region, but that the economic crisis and the lack of adequate marine infrastructure (ports etc.), is keeping the transport volumes very low. The completion of the projected railway to Yakutsk will have important implications for transport in the whole of Sakha and Chukotka, and possible also for export and international transit transport.