Tiksi. The port of Tiksi is located on the west
lations stipulate that vessels having an L2 classifi-
cation may be permitted in areas west of 125E
side of Tiksi Bay, an inlet just southeast of the
Lena River delta. It is the largest coastal port actu-
longitude under favorable conditions, but they
ally situated on the NSR, and it is the transfer
may go east of that line only into totally ice-free
point for cargo going into and out of the Lena
areas. Finally, vessels classified as L3 that were
River. The port is generally closed by ice from
already in service and assigned to Arctic ports at
mid-October to mid-July. Winds also have a large
the time the regulations were published (around
effect on the water depth in the bay. Strong north
1991) may be permitted to operate during the sum-
and east winds tend to raise the water level, and
mer period exclusively and only in ice-free coastal
south and west winds tend to lower it; this wind-
zones.
induced fluctuation can be as much as 1.2 m.
Shallow depths in several key locations effec-
Tiksi's main pier is 122 m long with 6.7 m depth
tively limit ships on the route at the current time
alongside. Air service, water, fuel oil, and minor
to 20,000 dwt tons and less (Granberg 1992). Tran-
repairs are available, but rail service and ships'
sit shippers must consider shallow waters overly-
provisions are not.
ing the far-reaching continental shelf, which ex-
Pevek. Pevek has approximately 10,000 inhabit-
tends seaward for hundreds of kilometers, and
ants and is located on the northwestern side of
shallow passages between land barriers separat-
Poluostrova (Peninsula) Pevek. It is the main out-
ing the various seas. The straits through the
let for extensive mining operations in that region.
Novosibirskiy Islands, Sannikova and Dmitrya
Its normal navigation season extends from June
Lapteva, are 13 and 7 m deep, respectively. The
to September. Two wharves, one 260 m long and
high-latitude route variation to the north of the
the other 215 m long with alongside depths of 7 m
islands has no such depth limitation, but at the
and 5.5 m, respectively, are used mainly for dry
present time it is not reliably navigable to ensure
and bulk cargoes. An offshore pipeline berth ser-
regular passage. Cabotage and river shipping must
vices ocean-going vessels. Ships as large as 20,000
also contend with shallow waters due to heavy
dwt have been accommodated. Air and medical
silt deposition at coastal deltas and in riverine chan-
services, water, fuel oil, and minor repairs are
nels. Many coastal and river ports can only be
available, but ship provisioning and rail service
approached by ships with shallow draft. Dredg-
are not.
ing is necessary at the deltas and within upriver
shipping channels to maintain passage. Efficient
cargo transportation in this region therefore cur-
rently favors the use of ships with high carrying
VESSELS AND CARGOES
capacity, reduced draft, and technological features
(structural, mechanical, navigational, etc.) that al-
Types of vessels using the NSR
This section does not attempt to inventory the
low some ability to operate independent of ice-
world's fleet of icebreakers and ice-strengthened
breaker escort.
ships that are using or might use the NSR. That
The former Soviet merchant fleet was divided
task was the focus of a separate CRREL investiga-
among the CIS such that 57% of both ships and the
tion (Sodhi 1995). We instead present recent and
deadweight tonnage remained with Russia.
general information concerning vessels on the
Russia's entire fleet as of July 1992 consisted of
route.
13.6 million dwt and 1433 ships (Table 13). Fifty-
The speed at which nonstrengthened ships
five percent of those ships and nearly 30% of the
would have to operate for an acceptable margin of
tonnage is made up of general cargo ships.
safety practically eliminates anything but ice-
Currently the newest and most capable cargo
strengthened vessels using the NSR competitively.
ship in use there is the Noril'sk-class SA-15 (Fig. 4).
In principle, only ice-strengthened vessels will be
It is a multipurpose icebreaking vessel of 20,000
allowed to operate along the route. The ANSR
dwt designed to carry up to 15,000 t of a variety of
regulations stipulate that vessels having at least
cargoes including containers, trailers, refrigerated
an L1 ice classification under the Russian Register
cargo, and bulk material (e.g., ore, grain, coal). It is
(or its equivalent rating under other registers) will
fitted with a stern ramp and 40-ton-capacity cranes
(operable in 40C ambient temperatures) that al-
be allowed to ply the route under the control of
icebreakers. Special exceptions for less ice-resis-
low cargo exchange where pier facilities do not
tant ships may be granted for transits through ar-
exist. The ships are 174 m long, have a maximum
eas that are expected to be virtually ice-free. Regu-
draft of 10.5 m, an operating range of 16,000 nm,
48
Previous Page
