TL;DR: Russia and China signed a major agreement in October 2025 to jointly develop the Northern Sea Route (NSR) into a year-round Arctic trade corridor, involving nuclear agency Rosatom and the Chinese government. The plan includes building ships, icebreakers, and logistics infrastructure, with a goal of boosting cargo traffic to 20 million tons by 2030.
What Happened
- Russia and China signed a cooperation deal in October 2025 to jointly develop the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for year-round shipping.
- The agreement was finalized during the second meeting of the Subcommittee on NSR Cooperation in Harbin, China, on October 14, 2025.
- Participants included Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev and Chinese Transport Minister Liu Wei.
Key Details of the Agreement
- Joint projects will focus on building Arctic-class cargo ships, nuclear-powered icebreakers, and logistics infrastructure.
- The action plan includes cooperation in navigation systems, crew training, ice/weather data sharing, and port development.
- Cargo volumes between Russia and China along the NSR are expected to exceed 400,000 tons in 2025, with a target of 20 million tons by 2030.
- A record Arctic container transit from Ningbo (China) to Felixstowe (UK) was completed in 20 days, half the time of southern routes.
Strategic Significance
- The NSR reduces shipping distance between Asia and Europe by up to 40% (around 7,000 km).
- According to Rosatom, “Sea freight from Tokyo to London via the Suez Canal takes 40 days, whereas using the NSR takes up to 20 days depending on the season.”
- The route is free of piracy and has lower emissions due to nuclear-powered icebreakers.
Infrastructure and Technology
- Rosatom operates 8 nuclear icebreakers, including Project 22220, capable of breaking 3 meters of ice.
- New Project 10510 icebreakers are under construction with RITM-400 reactors and 4-meter icebreaking capability.
- Joint ventures are building high-ice-class vessels for year-round container shipping.
Broader Impact and Future Outlook
- Rosatom reported a 20% increase in NSR ship voyages in 2025.
- The NSR handled 37.9 million tons of cargo in 2024, with traffic expected to grow steadily.
- Russia and China aim to make the NSR a major Eurasian logistics corridor, reducing reliance on traditional routes like the Suez Canal.
- Chinese youth are participating in Arctic educational expeditions organized by Rosatom as part of bilateral cooperation.