MOSCOW, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The volume of cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route this year is nearing 40 million tons, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Wednesday.
"Cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route is steadily approaching 40 million tons. We expect that by the end of the decade it will exceed 100 million tons," Mishustin said at the plenary session of the 18th International Forum "Transport of Russia."
He said that it was important for shippers to have easy access to the country's seaports.
"We will continue to build modern terminals and transshipment complexes and improve access to them," Mishustin said.
"To ensure reliable year-round navigation, we will ... expand the icebreaker fleet, including nuclear-powered ships, and also build auxiliary and emergency rescue vessels," the prime minister said, adding that this approach will strengthen the country's leadership in the Arctic. ■