Ministry of Transport suggests giving Northern Sea Route Administration more authority

Ministry of Transport suggests giving Northern Sea Route Administration more authority

The Russian Ministry of Transport has suggested expanding the authority of the Northern Sea Route Administration in facilitating development of the Northern Sea Route, Deputy Minister of Transport Viktor Olersky told RIA Novosti.

"We think it is possible to concentrate the authority within the scope of the Northern Sea Route Administration. Not just license issuing (the right of passage on the Northern Sea Route) as is done today, but also hydrographic support, which have been the responsibility of our subordinate organization. We are on the path to realizing the project. At present we are preparing the amendments," Olersky noted.

According to the deputy minister, the Ministry of Transport will be able to introduce these amendments as soon as in 2017. There are also plans to delegate the power of managing icebreaker operations to the Northern Sea Route Administration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that he had instructed the Government to work out the framework for creating an independent agency responsible for the development of the Northern Sea Route and the adjacent support bases, including the infrastructure, hydrography, security, management and all the services required. The President added that the Northern Sea Route's relevance and competitiveness require providing the best conditions for transport operator companies.