The IV International Forum “The Arctic: Today and the Future” took place on 10-11 November in Saint-Petersburg. It was chaired by Arthur Chilingarov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions and President of Interregional Public Organization “Polar Explorers Association” and supported by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The business agenda of the forum included discussion of rational natural resources development, social and economic issues of Arctic territories, development of the transport and transit capacities and power complex of the Arctic, environmental safety, staffing support and preservation of the cultural and historic heritage of peoples of the North.
During the workshop “Transport and transit potential of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation” Deputy General Director for Corporate Development Sergey Antonov made a report on the topic “Provision of FSUE “Rosmorport” operations in the Arctic region of Russia” in order to present the major acitivites of the enterprise in this field to the forum participants.

Sergey Antonov made special emphasis on the prospects for the development of port infrastructure in the Arctic basin. According to the information of the Arctic Council Special Group, in the near future maritime navigation in the Arctic will increase, the dominant traffic model being cargo delivery to Arctic seaports. The main drivers for that will be natural resources development (fish, hydrocarbons, mineral resources, timber etc.), regional trade and tourism.

As Sergey Antonov mentioned, the Strategy for development of the Russian port infrastructure up to 2030 presumes increase of the Arctic seaports’ capacities from the current 71.9 million tons up to 115.5 million tons (energy and raw materials scenario) – 200.3 million tons (innovation scenario) by building new port facilities in the Arctic basin and reviving the existing ones. According to the FSUE “Rosmorport” development programme it is planned to increase the port capacities of the arctic seaports by 27 million tons, which is almost 40%.

Besides, the participants of the workshop discussed opportunities of the enterprise icebreaking fleet, because such specific type of activities as icebreaking services is crucial for the development of Arctic seaports. At present FSUE “Rosmorport” is extending the scope of its icebreakers operation in the arctic region. In December 2014 the Tor icebreaker was sent by the enterprise to Sabetta seaport to perform ice escort in its waters.

In the end of his speech Sergey Antonov underlined that the services rendered by FSUE “Rosmorport” to the ship owners in the seaports of the Arctic basin will allow to increase the transit potential of the Northern Sea Route for cargo delivery from China to Europe, as well as to enable usage of the arctic natural resources and maintain navigation safety in the Arctic basin.