ern-tier regions in the U.S., Canada,
Table 5. Icebreakers and voyages that have reached the North Pole.*
Norway, Russia, Finland, China,
Ship
Date
Country
Mongolia, Japan, and Korea, the reso-
lution gives approval to the INSROP
1
Arktika
17 August 1977
Soviet Union
Nuclear
initiative and encourages a priority
2
Sibir'
25 May 1987
Soviet Union
Nuclear
emphasis for supporting activities that
3
Rossiya
8 August 1990
Soviet Union
Nuclear
promote the NSR.
4
Sovietskiy Soyuz
4 August 1991
Soviet Union
Nuclear
A n o t h e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l g ro u p ,
known as the Barents Council, has also
5
Oden
7 September 1991
Sweden
Diesel
given its endorsement to the promo-
6
Polarstern
7 September 1991
Germany
Diesel
tion efforts and has formed a subcom-
7
Sovietskiy Soyuz
13 July 1992
Russia
Nuclear
mittee called the Working Group for
8
Sovietskiy Soyuz
23 August 1992
Russia
Nuclear
the Northern Sea Route. At their meet-
9
Yamal
21 July 1993
Russia
Nuclear
ing in Oslo in September 1992, which
10 Yamal
8 August 1993
Russia
Nuclear
was attended by representatives from
eleven European, Asian, and North
11 Yamal
30 August 1993
Russia
Nuclear
American countries, it was decided
12 Yamal
21 July 1994
Russia
Nuclear
to formulate a plan for addressing is-
13 Kapitan Dranitsyn
21 July 1994
Russia
Diesel
sues relevant to promotion of the NSR.
14 Yamal
5 August 1994
Russia
Nuclear
The activities of these three organiza-
15 Yamal
20 August 1994
Russia
Nuclear
tions is evidence of an international
16 Louis St.-Laurent
22 August 1994
Canada
Diesel
commitment toward the route's de-
velopment and a widely held belief
17 Polar Sea
22 August 1994
United States
Diesel
that such development might substan-
* L.W. Brigham, 1994, U.S. Coast Guard, personal communication.
tially benefit not only Russia, but
many other countries as well.
Foreign response to Gorbachev's invitation and
portion), several developments have occurred to
the international activities to promote utilization
increase foreign interest in using the NSR. A mul-
of the Northern Sea Route began with the leasing
tinational organization, the International North-
of cargo space aboard Soviet SA-15 icebreaking
ern Sea Route Programme (INSROP), was formed
cargo carriers (Brigham 1993). In 1989, there were
to undertake any and all activities that would en-
several of these transits from Hamburg to Osaka.
hance international interest in the route. The lead
In 1990, six more voyages took place, each requir-
agencies coordinating INSROP are the Fridtjof
ing about 25 days, which was approximately 10
Nansen Institute (Norway), the Central Marine
days faster than a Suez Canal passage.
Research and Design Institute (Russia), and the
That same year, the nuclear icebreaker Rossiya
Ship and Ocean Foundation (Japan). This project
made the third visit to the North Pole by a surface
is the first credible attempt to bring together an
ship (the second, by the Sibir', took place in 1987
international working group to comprehensively
[Frolov 1991]). The unique feature of this nine-day
define problem areas and provide a forum for so-
voyage was the fact that the ship was adapted to
lutions. INSROP participants recognized the fol-
accommodate 40 foreign tourists who paid ,000
lowing four areas of concern and assigned mem-
each for the trip. The cruise was considered such a
ber groups to address each one in the form of pilot
success that the Sovietskiy Soyuz made three simi-
studies (streng and Jrgensen-Dahl 1991):
lar tourist trips in 1991 and 1992. An interesting
description of these polar excursions from the tour-
Physical conditions and navigation issues,
istadventurer point of view appeared in a nation-
Ecological aspects,
ally distributed recreation magazine (Cahill 1993).
Commerce and trade studies,
The popularity of these excursions seems assured,
Legal, political, and militarystrategic issues.
and tourism in the Arctic is a business opportu-
nity that the Russians hope to capitalize on.
The INSROP effort received additional impetus
In August of 1991, a Russian freighter sailed
in November 1991 from a resolution of The North-
from Norway to Hong Kong carrying 10,000 tons
ern Forum, another or ganization commit-
of steel. This marked the first time that Norwegian
ted to addressing a variety of northern territorial
cargo had been shipped to Asia via the Northern
concerns. Signed by 13 representatives of north-
13
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