Deep Draft Ships Can Access Northern Sea Route Port

The works carried out to deepen the approach channel to the Port of Sabetta on the Gulf of Ob in the Russian Far North have resulted in the removal of  previous restrictions on vessel call for large ships, including nuclear-powered icebreakers, report Arctic-Info.

Citing a report by the press service of the Arkhangelsk branch of Rosmorport Arctic-Info report that last year the company implemented a significant amount of dredging works at the navigation approach channel in the Gulf of Ob and operational waters of the seaport. Dredging was carried out in the framework of the construction of federal property at the seaport of Sabetta.

As a result of bringing of the bottom on the approach channel to the depth mark of 12.4 m in 2013, the preexisting navigational restrictions have been eliminated.

Arctic-Info add that it should be noted that the Government of the Russian Federation, by the Decree dated 22.01.2014, included the seaport of Sabetta in the list  of seaports of the Russian Federation allowed for entering of vessels and other water craft with nuclear power plants. The decision was made to ensure icebreaker support for cargo ships carrying goods for construction of industrial complexes to extract and liquefy natural gas on the Yamal Peninsula.

The construction in Sabetta was started in July of 2012. In 2013, the seaport of Sabetta was visited by more than 200 different vessels.

Source: Arctic-Info