Variants of the Northern Sea Route

Abstract

This chapter discusses possible route variants on the Northern Sea Route. The first route variants were mapped on the basis of successfully completed voyages. The main criterion by which routes for the winter season were mapped was the extent of fast ice and the adjacent ice-free areas. In the summer season, routes were mapped in such a way as to avoid the areas where ice massifs occur. Examples of routes mapped in this way may be found in International Northern Sea Route Programme Working Papers. Due to the reduction of the summer ice cover in the seas of the Russian Arctic, routes running further off the mainland started to be accessible for vessels. Intensive hydrographic work made it possible to designate additional, deep-water route variants. Generally speaking, routes along the NSR may be divided into those running close to the mainland, those running far from the mainland and transarctic. High variability in ice conditions means that vessels often cross part of the NSR following one route variant and—wherever ice conditions render further navigation impossible—follow a different variant. Variant selection depends on the dynamically changing ice situation. All variants available in particular seas are thoroughly discussed. Special attention is given to straits located in particular archipelagos separating particular seas on the NSR. Factors characterizing these narrow passages are described, including depth distribution and current speeds in particular straits. Maps show variants of routes leading through particular archipelagos. The analysis concludes with an assumption that in order to ensure appropriate route planning, vessel management must have access to information on current ice conditions in space and time.