This laden voyage from Europe to Asia was preceded by the ballasting voyage from Asia to Europe by the 'Ob River' in October.
Accompanied by two icebreakers, this voyage demonstrated that the Northern Sea Route is a commercially viable alternative to transiting the Suez Canal on the strategically important route from Northern Europe to North East Asia. The Northern Sea Route cuts the maritime distance for these voyages by 40%, drastically reducing the environmental footprint of the vessel as well as providing economic benefits in terms of fuel consumption.
Gazprom Marketing and Trading forecast that in future, the Northern Sea Route will play a significant part in world energy transportation. The Shipping and Logistics team want to be ready for these changes and are proud to have been the pioneer in proving the viability of this sea route.
