It shows that old oil tankers and cargo vessels with compromised flags and without ice classification are gaining permission to enter the NSR.

A series of maritime routes stretching from the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago to the Bering Strait along the Russian Arctic coast, the NSR is under Russia’s exclusive control. Passage along the NSR is regulated through a permit-based system, requiring the mandatory use of Russian pilotage services and icebreaker escort in heavy ice conditions. The institution responsible for the development and operation of the NSR is under the control of the Russian State Nuclear Corporation Rosatom — a company actively involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine, including the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

In 2024, Rosatom issued 1,312 permits to 975 vessels to enter the NSR. One hundred of these vessels sailed under non-Russian flags, including 33 LNG tankers, 22 oil tankers, and 38 bulk, container, heavy-load, or general cargo ships. One third of them were not ice class vessels. More than half of these oil tankers were over 15 years old. Many of them had changed flag or name in 2024 or 2025, and there were gaps in vessel tracking data. Most were used to transport oil from Russia to China and India, circumventing European sanctions, as many of these vessels had been added to Western sanctions lists in 2025.

Moreover, several companies and businessmen from Western countries continue to be involved in NSR shipping, nearly four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Seven vessels sailed under the Cypriot flag and two under the Maltese flag — both EU member states. All nine vessels (seven LNG tankers and two oil/gas condensate tankers) are used to transport LNG and gas condensate from Russia’s Yamal LNG plant — which remains unsanctioned — to ports in Europe and Asia. All are owned by the Greek company Dynacom, controlled by Greek billionaire shipowner George Prokopiou. Another seven LNG tankers transporting LNG from Yamal to South Korea and China are owned by the UK-based Seapeak Maritime Ltd, whose ultimate beneficiary is Australian billionaire Michael Dorrell. Five LNG tankers are owned by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

Aging oil tankers — especially those without ice class certification and with poor insurance coverage — pose the greatest environmental risk when operating in Arctic waters along the NSR. The growing use of LNG by LNG tankers along the NSR also raises further concerns about the climate impact of Arctic shipping due to releases of another superpollutant – methane. Environmental impact of shipping along the NSR becomes a major concern particularly given that Russian authorities do not take and are not willing to take effective measures to mitigate environmental and climate-related risks.

All data in this brief were obtained from open sources, including the official websites of the Administration of the Northern Sea Route, International Maritime Organization, NGO Global Fishing Watch and various media sources.

It will be of interest to policymakers, advisors, officials, NGO staff, researchers, and journalists who are concerned with the shipping along the Northern Sea Route.  

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