Accounting for Seasonality and Navigation Routes to Ensure Rescue Operations in the Waters of the Northern Sea Route

Abstract

Development of the navigation in the Arctic basin in the changed geopolitical conditions is a national task, the solution of which ensures an uncomplicated, and in some cases, more economical access of the Russian products to the Asian markets. The transition to year-round navigation determines the development of new routes in the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route, as well as the expansion of the navigation window. The condition for the development of navigation, both seasonal and year-round, is to ensure its safety. This applies both to the own navigation of ships and the ability of emergency rescue teams to provide their vessels with easy access to all the sections of shipping routes. The analysis was carried out concerning the ice classes of the existing and under construction emergency rescue fleet of the Federal State Budgetary Institution «Morspassluzhba» of the ice classes Arc5, Icebreaker6 and Icebreaker7. It was concluded that in accordance with the current Rules for navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route they have significant restrictions on independent work. Emergency rescue vessels of the Arctic ice class Arc5 cannot conduct independent operations in the winter-spring period in the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route in the medium type of ice conditions (in the heavy type of ice conditions, their navigation is completely prohibited), requiring icebreaking support. Ice class vessels Icebreaker6 (as well as the most powerful multifunctional emergency rescue vessel of the project IBSV02 of ice class Icebreaker7) cannot perform independent operations in case of heavy type of ice conditions. To carry out rescue operations, they will need the support of nuclear-powered icebreakers of ice class Icebreaker8 and Icebreaker9 or diesel icebreakers Icebreaker8, for which there are no restrictions on navigation in the waters of the Northern Sea Route. During the period of the most difficult navigation conditions (winter-spring period), it is proposed to place emergency rescue teams on the linear icebreakers, not only nuclear, but also diesel icebreakers of the Icebreaker8 of ice class, as well as their use as jumping helicopter platforms for conducting emergency rescue operations.