Russia taking on Northern Sea Route as Bellona raises alarm over Norwegian vessels under escort of nuclear icebreakers – Bellona

MURMANSK – The Russian news agency RIA Novosti earlier this month hosted a roundtable discussion on developing the Arctic Northern Sea Route, the possibilities of exploiting cargo transport through it, the future of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet, and legislation needed to effect these plans.

Anna Kireeva, Charles Digges, 12/04-2012

Notably, legal instruments concerning icebreaker escort through the Northern Sea Route and amendments to Russia maritime law were the target of much of the discussion.

The theme of the roundtable had particular resonance in Norway, as the scandal surrounding the Russian nuclear icebreaker 50-Let-Pobedy (50-Years-Victory) that set sail two years ago to to clear ice for the Norwegian owned MV Nordic Barents vessel as it travelled the route to China has been the focus of a recent Norwegian media scandal.

The MV Nordic Barents was hired by a Danish shipping company by the Norway-based Tchudi Shipping Company, owned by Norwegian billionaire Felix Tchudi.

Scandal over Northern Sea Route shipments in Norway

Last month it was revealed by Norwgiain daily Dagbladet that Tchudi has received expedited grants – including a grant that was approved four days after it was applied for – from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Tchudi’s close friend and Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre.

According to the paper, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008 granted NOK 6 million to the establishment of the Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL). The application for the 5-year project, which is stipulated to end in 2013, had been made by billionaire Tschudi, and Tschudi is also chairman of the board.

“We are strongly critical of Norwegian companies using nuclear icebreakers and that public money from foundations that Tchudi oversees have gone to such a project,” said Nils Bøhmer, Bellona’s managing director and nuclear physicist.

“It is very unfortunate because there have been several serious accidents involving nuclear powered icebreakers, including fires. A nuclear accident far out in the ice can cause catastrophic damage in the Arctic’s sensitive ecosystem,” he said, adding, “During a serious accident far from shore, accompanied by a meltdown of an icebreaker’s reactor, it is such a long distance to land that it is almost impossible to mount a rescue mission – it would take too long to arrive and would be too late.”

Defining the area considered to be the Northern Sea Route, Bellona Murmansk director Andrei Zolotkov said, “we can figuratively say that the Northern Sea Route begins at the Kola Peninsula.”

Industrial and nuclear waste concerns in Russia

Zolotkov’s concerns lie with the massive industrial build-up certain to follow on more shipping through the area.

It is precisely along the western side of the Kola Gulf that enormous build-outs in the area of the coal and oil industry, such as terminals, refineries, are planned – meaning tens of thousands of tons more cargo, said Zolotkov.

“One can assume that the [Russian Naval] Northern Fleet will start building up their own number of vessels and submarines,” said Zolotkov.

Zolotkov noted that neither Murmansk nor Severomorsk – another important port city on the Kola Gulf – have the means to clean oil spills.

“The Kola Gulf has already been seriously polluted by petroleum products, industrial waste and sewage. This is all visible to the naked eye. But for all of these problems, the concerns and consensus about these developments for local residents remains invisible,” said Zolotkov. “We better be careful, Gazprom, Rosatom, and the Ministry of Defense, before we kill off Kola Bay, turning it into a lifeless basin.”

via Russia taking on Northern Sea Route as Bellona raises alarm over Norwegian vessels under escort of nuclear icebreakers – Bellona.