MOSCOW, August 31 (HS/RIA Novosti) -Cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) increased by 15% year-on-year to 24.2 million tonnes in almost eight months of 2026, Russian Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov told RIA Novosti in an interview ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum 2026.

This year's growth trend is positive – up 15% in almost eight months, with 24.2 million tonnes of cargo already transported, he said, commenting on cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route.

According to the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, shipping volumes along the Northern Sea Route have increased almost tenfold over the past 10 years, reaching 37 million tonnes in 2025.

The Northern Sea Route is a unique and strategically important waterway that runs along Russia's northern coast. Today, demand for the Northern Sea Route is growing, not only among Russian shipowners but also among foreign ones. This interest stems not only from the fact that this route is the shortest between Europe and Asia, but also from the security situation in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

The Eastern Economic Forum will be held from September 1 to 4 in Vladivostok. RIA Novosti is the general media partner of the EEF.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar