MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Having year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is not just about vessel capacity, it is also about accuracy of the route and weather forecasts. Specialists of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) are studying ice and climatic conditions to ensure the safest navigation in the Arctic seas observing the ecological balance in the region. The institute's Director Alexander Makarov told TASS about what scientists can do to extend the navigation term.
– It was back in the last century that the Arctic Institute laid the foundations for a system of scientific and operational hydrometeorology services for navigation along the Northern Sea Route. What is being done to improve this system, and what tasks do you face? How can you describe the ice situation in the Arctic seas?
– Our current task is to provide year-round navigation, since at the moment year-round navigation along the entire route is not possible yet.
– What time is currently unavailable for navigation?
– The navigation ends at the year end and the Northern Sea Route closes even earlier, but there still remain certain cases of escort: we are having experimental escort missions. The latest were in February, and the earliest were in May. That is, we are slowly approaching from both ends, it is important for us to have year-round navigation, and most importantly – towards the East.
