The route’s Russian operator is building more nuclear-powered icebreakers, as it anticipates a significant rise in voyages by Chinese companies
Chinese companies are showing growing interest in shipping goods to the West via the Northern Sea Route – an icy Arctic passage that opens up each summer – according to Rosatom, the Russian company that operates infrastructure along the route.
The firm anticipates a significant uptick in voyages by Chinese companies along the NSR during the coming summer-autumn shipping season, and is adding more nuclear-powered icebreakers to its fleet to handle the growing traffic flow.
Cargo traffic on the NSR – the shortest shipping link between the Asia-Pacific region and western Eurasia – is steadily increasing, Rosatom told the Post via email. In 2024, a record 92 transit voyages were completed, carrying more than 3 million tonnes of cargo.
“In 2025, companies from China plan to make at least one and a half times more trips along the NSR than last year,” Rosatom said, though it did not provide specific numbers for Chinese companies’ voyages.
