Russian oil is preparing the largest operation bypassing the EU: tankers are assembled at the Northern Sea Route

Sovcomflot collects in In the Kara Sea, tankers under sanctions will be sent along the Northern Sea Route to Asia, bypassing the EU, off the coast of which seizures of ships with Russian oil have become more frequent. The created flotilla will carry almost 1 million tons of oil worth half a billion dollars.

At the Triple Island in A whole flotilla of tankers under sanctions is going to the Kara Sea. According to AIS courts, there are already "Dynasty", "Viktor Bakaev", "Vostochny Prospect", "Liteyny Prospect", "Ligovsky Prospect" and Jagger. In addition, the Mirabelle and Primavera tankers are heading to the group of vessels.

All vessels under the flags of Russia and Oman came to the Northern Sea Route from the Baltic ports of Primorsk and Ust—Luga. They can carry more than 950 thousand tons of oil, whose value on the market is now more than $ 500 million.

Judging by the history of the tankers, they are all under the control of Sovcomflot. And the passage itself will be the largest in the history of the Northern Sea Route. For the entire navigation of last year, the Arctic route carried hardly twice as much.

The Russian shipowner does not comment on the upcoming operation. But, obviously, it is connected both with the season of navigation along the Northern Sea Route, which is the shortest route to Asia, and with the frequent seizures of tankers with Russian oil off the coasts of EU countries. Brussels is desperate to reduce Russia's oil export revenues.

The vessels indicate that they plan to arrive at the final destination after August 20. Mostly to China. Tankers will have to travel 1,900 miles along the Northern Sea Route. Judging by the expected approach of the last tanker, the Primavera, which passed the coast of Norway today, the flotilla will set off no earlier than the end of the week.

Glavsevmorput publishes maps of the ice situation on the Northern Sea Route, and part of the route is still covered with ice. Obviously, the flotilla will need to be escorted by icebreakers, which also explains why tankers are grouped into a flotilla, rather than going alone. The cost of escorting one tanker can cost about 50 million rubles.

There are at least three nuclear icebreakers on the Northern Sea Route to support the navigation season. So, "Siberia" operates in In the Kara Sea, 250 miles from the emerging flotilla, Yakutia is in East Siberian, and "Ural" — in Chukchi.

Almost 1 million tons or just over 7 million barrels of oil is a significant amount for a one—time supply, but small in the total export of Russian oil. Maxim Shaposhnikov, advisor to the managing Director of the Industrial Code Fund, notes that the Northern Sea Route has prospects for expansion to 90 million tons with 34-35 million tons used.

"Vessels of any tonnage will pass through it in summer navigation. In winter, the width of the channel is limited to 35-40 meters. This is not enough for supertankers, but, as far as I know, there are none in the shadow fleet. So the Northern Sea Route will definitely receive its share of traffic. Whether it can be significantly expanded due to winter navigation is still difficult to answer. There are risks of delaying the commissioning of icebreakers of the "Leader" type. But if it is possible to build more than one of them, while three are planned, then it is quite possible to count on an increase in the flow of cargo to 110-120 million tons per year by 2035," the expert believes.