The Northern Sea Route User Conference:

The 21st Century: Turning Point for the Northern Sea Route?

18-20 November 1999 - Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica, Oslo, Norway

Final Programme

17 NOVEMBER 1999

16:00 - 20:00 Registration

20:00 - 21:00 Welcome reception

18 NOVEMBER 1999: Introduction; Presentation of Research Findings

08:00 - 09:00 Late Registration

09:00 - 10:30 SESSION 1: OPENING SESSION (Chair: Mr. Kåre Willoch, Director, Fridtjof Nansen Institute)

• Welcoming address by Mr. Yohei Sasakawa (Chairman of INSROP Steering Committee of Sponsors, and President of The Nippon Foundation).
• "International Shipping on the Northern Sea Route - Russia’s perspective". Opening address by Sergey O. Frank, Russian Minister of Transport.
• "International Shipping on the Northern Sea Route - Norway’s perspective". Opening address by Lars Sponheiml, Norwegian Minister of Industry and Trade.
• "International Shipping on the Northern Sea Route - Japan’s perspective". Opening address by Tadakiyo Nomura, Japan’s Ambassador to Norway.
• "Opening address". Artur Chillingarov (Deputy Speaker, Russian State Duma).
• "Greeting to the Conference". From Nikolay Aksyonenko (First Vice Prime Minister, Russia).
• "Introduction to NSR history and INSROP’s background". Dr. Vsevolod Peresypkin (Director, Central Marine Research and Design Institute).

10:30 - 10:45 Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:15 SESSION 2: THE NSR BASICS: WHAT IS KNOWN? WHAT IS NEEDED? WHAT IS POSSIBLE? (Chair: Prof. Edgar Gold, Oceans Inst. of Canada)

• "What do we need? - The shipping industry’s view on the NSR’s potential and problems". Rolf Sæther (Director General, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association).
• "What do we know about the NSR? – INSROP’s overall approach and conclusions". Willy Østreng (Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technolgy; The Fridtjof Nansen Institute).
• "What can we offer? – Russia is optimistic about the future of the NSR". Nikolay Matushenko (Head of Shipping Policy Department, Russian Ministry of Transport)
• Panel discussion. Commentators: Hiroyasu Kawai (Ship & Ocean Foundation); Senior shipping representative; Arild Moe (Fridtjof Nansen Institute).

12:15 - 13:45 Lunch.

12:15 - 13:00 Press Briefing

13:45 - 15:15 SESSION 3: INSROP’s MAIN FINDINGS (Chair: Mr. Nils Telle, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association)

• "Natural conditions, ice navigation and ship design – pushing the limits". Capt. Lawson Brigham (Scott Polar Research Institute, previously USCG).
• "NSR activities - Environmental assessments". Kjell A. Moe (Senior Advisor, Alpha Environmental Consultants).
• "The NSR’s commercial potential and restraints". Michael Tamvakis (Director, MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance, City University Business School)
• "Political, legal and strategic implications of international shipping on the NSR: A summary". Willy Østreng (Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technolgy; The Fridtjof Nansen Institute).
• Panel discussion. Commentators: John C. Lyras (President, Union of Greek Shipowners); Prof. Robert North (Department of Geography, University of British Columbia).

15:15 - 15:30 Coffee Break

15:30 - 17:00 SESSION 4: THE INSROP SIMULATION STUDY (Chair: Prof. Hiromitsu Kitagawa, Hokkaido University)

• "Presentation of INSROP’s simulation study of NSR shipping". Hiromitsu Kitagawa (Hokkaido University).
• "The chosen simulation routes and their ice condition". Vladimir Vasilyev (Head of Laboratory, Central Marine Research and Design Institute).
• "Legal and environmental evaluation of selected routes of the NSR". Gennady Semanov (Head of Laboratory, Central Marine Research and Design Institute).
• "Results of the simulation study: Under which scenario is NSR navigation economically feasible?" Kazuhiko Kamesaki (NKK Corporation).
• Panel discussion. Commentators: Ronald Bergman (Immediate Past President, Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)); Makoto Shinagawa (General Manager, Tramp Co-ordination Group, NYK Line); Loly G. Tsoy (Head of Laboratory, Central Marine Research and Design Institute).

17:00 - 18:00 Separate demonstration of the INSROP GIS Software and Database (Presenters: Stig Magnar Løvås (SINTEF Civil and Environmental Engineering) and Kjell A. Moe/Odd W. Brude (Alpha Environmental Consultants)).

19:30 Reception hosted by the Russian Ambassador to Norway, H.E. Mr. Yuliy Kvitsinskiy, at the Embassy of the Russian Federation.

19 NOVEMBER 1999: Discussion

08:30 - 10:45 SESSION 5: THE COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE NSR (Chair: Pres. John C. Lyras, Union of Greek Shipowners)

• "Transiting the Northern Sea Route: Shipping and Marine Insurance Interests". Edgar Gold (Oceans Institute of Canada).
• "Potential for transit operations on the Northern Sea Route" Trond Ramsland (Synergy Research).
• "Development of marine transport of Russian gas to the EU". José Laranjeira Anselmo (DG VII, European Commission).
• "The NSR tariff system – present practice and future requirements – The ARCDEV experience" Ivan Ivanov (ARCDEV Project Manager, Fortum Oil and Gas).
• "Will Russia’s Arctic oil be exported by sea?" Asbjørn Sæbøe, (Norsk Hydro).
• Panel discussion. Commentators: Michael Tamvakis, (Director, MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance, City University Business School); Jokvez I. Rozenberg (Deputy General Director, RAO Norilsk Nickel); Viacheslav Vladimirivich Ruksha (General Director, Murmansk Shipping Company).

10:45 - 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 - 12:15 SESSION 6: ACTUAL EXPERIENCE OF NSR NAVIGATION (Chair: Prof. Hajime Yamaguchi, Leader of INSROP’s Experimental Transit Voyage; University of Tokyo)

• "The real face of NSR shipping" Slide show depicting Russian NSR Shipping. Presenter: Alexander Ushakov, Deputy Head of the NSR Administration.
• "Human resources: Will there be a need for specially trained NSR seafarers?". Captain Anders Backman, Swedish Maritime Administration.
• "Suggestions for future NSR shipping based on NSR experience". Juha Säävälä (former Captain of "M/S Uikku" and M/S Lunni).
• Panel discussion. Commentator; Viacheslav Vladimirivich Ruksha (General Director, Murmansk Shipping Company).

12:15 - 13:45 Lunch.

13:15 - 15:00 Separate demonstration of the INSROP GIS Software and Database (Presenters: Stig Magnar Løvås (SINTEF Civil and Environmental Engineering) and Kjell A. Moe/Odd W. Brude (Alpha Environmental Consultants)).

13:45 - 15:15 SESSION 7: TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NSR (Chair: Bruce Farthing, INTERCARGO)

• "A foreign shipping company’s view of NSR technology and infrastructure – perceived problems and uncertainties". Makoto Shinagawa (General Manager, Tramp Co-ordination Group, NYK Line).
• "Russian ice information services in the future". V.G. Smirnov (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia).
• "Future development of NSR ship design – technology and price". Kimmo Juurmaa (Manager, Arctic Technology Group, Kværner Masa-Yards).
• "Russian experience in icebreaker assistance in marine operations on the NSR". Viacheslav Vladimirivich Ruksha (General Director, Murmansk Shipping Company).
• Panel discussion. Commentator: Alfred Tunik (prev. American Bureau of Shipping).

13:45 - 15:15 SPECIAL SESSION (PARALLELL TO SESSION 7): THE NSR'S IMPORTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN RUSSIAN REGIONS. (Chair: Arild Moe, Deputy Director, The Fridtjof Nansen Institute)

• "The Murmansk Region - Russian Northern Gateway to the Arctic". Yury A. Yevdokimov (Governor of Murmansk Region).
• "Importance of the NSR for the development of the northern regions of Russia". Anatoly A. Yefremov (Governor of Arkhangelsk Region).
• "The meaning of the NSR for the development of Krasnoyarsk Territory". Gennady I. Mikichura (Deputy Governor of Krasnoyarsk Territory).
• Panel discussion. Commentators: Alexander G. Granberg (Council for the Study of Productive Forces, Russian Ministry of Finance); Robert N. North (Professor of Geography, University of British Columbia, Canada).

15:15 - 15:30 Coffee Break

15:30 - 17:30 SESSION 8: SECURING A STABLE, PROFITABLE AND RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATIVE REGIME FOR THE NSR – POLITICAL PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED (Chair: Antony Nunn, International Union of Marine Insurance)

• "What does the shipping industry expect as to administration of the NSR?". Ronald Bergman (Immediate Past President, Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)).
• "The future structure of NSR administration and operations". Vladimir V. Mikhailichenko (Former Head, NSR Administration).
• "Financing of the NSR infrastructure - Russian resolve and possible international contribution". Robert North (Department of Geography, University of British Columbia).
• "The Arctic environment and the indigenous peoples". Alona A. Yefimenko (Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat, Arctic Council).
• "The legal regime of the NSR – a US/Russian dispute with a potential to stop foreign ships". Douglas Brubaker (Fridtjof Nansen Institute).

19:00 Reception hosted by the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jarle Skjørestad, at the Norwegian Government's Guest House in Parkveien 45.

20 NOVEMBER 1999: Workshops; Summing-up

09:00 - 11:00 SESSION 9: PARALLEL WORKSHOPS

• Workshop 1: "Transit traffic on the NSR: Cargo potential and commercial viability vs. Suez, the Trans-Siberian Railroad and other alternatives". Panel: Edgar Gold (Oceans Institute of Canada – Chair); Trond Ramsland (Synergy Research); Shipping representative; Antony Nunn (IUMI); Vladimir V. Mikhailichenko (NSRA).
• Workshop 2: "Future NSR operations in a changing environment: Icebreaking, ice information, and navigation requirements". Panel: Lawson Brigham (Scott Polar Research Institute - Chair); Alexander Ushakov (Northern Sea Route Administration); Bruce Farthing (INTERCARGO); Stein Sandven (Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center).
• Workshop 3: "How can large-scale NSR navigation be made compatible with international and Russian standards for environmental protection and protection of local indigenous peoples?". Panel: Gail Osherenko (Institute of Arctic Studies - Chair); Kjell A. Moe (Alpha Environmental Consultants); Gennady Semanov (CNIIMF); Alexander Evai (RAIPON); Emil Aall Dahle (Det Norske Veritas).

11:00 - 11:15 Coffee Break

11:15 - 13:15 SESSION 10: PARALLEL WORKSHOPS

• Workshop 5: "Marine transport of oil and gas from Northwest Russia". Panel: Arild Moe (Fridtjof Nansen Institute - Chair); José L. Anselmo (DG VII, European Commission); Vyacheslav Kuznetsov (Rosshelf); Ivan Ivanov (Fortum Oil and Gas); Asbjørn Sæbøe (Norsk Hydro).
• Workshop 6: "Construction and navigation of icebreaking cargo ships for the NSR". Panel: Hiromitsu Kitagawa (Hokkaido University – Chair); Kimmo Juurmaa (Masa-Yards); Loly G. Tsoy (CNIIMF); Alfred Tunik (prev. ABS); Kaj Riska (Helsinki University of Technology).
• Workshop 7: "Profitable and stable administration of the NSR: How can it be secured?". Panel: Nikolai Matushenko (Russian Ministry of Transport – Chair); Robert North (University of British Columbia).

13:15 - 14:45 Late lunch.

14:45 - 17:00 SESSION 11: CLOSING SESSION (Chair: Prof. Willy Østreng, Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technolgy; The Fridtjof Nansen Institute)

• Workshop rapporteurs (10 min each): Summing-up of Workshops
• Closing address by Eisuke Kudo (Managing Director, Ship & Ocean Foundation).
• Closing address: "Summing-up of the conference – the way ahead. The shipping industry’s perspective". Dagfinn Lunde (Managing Director, INTERTANKO).
• Closing address: "Summing-up of the conference – the way ahead. The Russian perspective". Nikolai Matushenko (Head, Department of Shipping Policy, Russian Ministry of Transport).
• Closing address: "Summing-up of the conference – the way ahead. The research community’s perspective". Willy Østreng.

20:00 Banquet in the Saga Hall at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica.

21 NOVEMBER 1999

10:00 - 14:00 Study Tour to maritime museums and sites in Oslo. Lunch included, hosted by the City of Oslo.

Page last updated: 10.01.2001