Russian Tankers Stranded in Ice on Northern Sea Route
In July, a group of sanctioned tankers became stuck in ice near the Vilkitsky Strait on the Northern Sea Route to China. The vessels dropped anchor about 1,300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, while two nuclear icebreakers that could have provided assistance were several days away. According to OilPrice reports, only one vessel managed to pass through the strait, with the others waiting for up to two weeks before seeking an alternative route.
The Vilkitsky Strait, about 55 kilometers wide, is located between Siberia’s northern coast and Bolshevik Island. The incident highlights the challenges faced by tankers navigating the Northern Sea Route, which Russia is trying to increase its use of as a shipping lane.
Transport Volumes on the Rise
Russia is attempting to boost shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas via the Northern Sea Route, relying on reduced Arctic ice cover. According to Reuters data cited by OilPrice, approximately 20 million barrels of Russian oil had been transported along this route by mid-October 2026, a 50% increase from 2025. This volume accounts for about 1% of Russia’s total seaborne oil exports.
At the end of September, Norway’s Center for High North Logistics reported that approximately 2 million tonnes of cargo, mainly crude oil, or about 15 million barrels, had been transported along the entire Northern Sea Route. The cargoes were bound for China and other Asian countries, mostly from the port of Murmansk.
Ice and Sanctions Restrictions
Ksenia Vakhrusheva, head of the Arctic project at environmental organization Bellona, noted that less ice does not necessarily make navigation easier. Ice that breaks up and moves can accumulate in narrow straits that vessels without an adequate ice class cannot pass through. Thomas Alexa, an analyst at consulting company Ambrey, said Western sanctions are seriously complicating Russia’s construction and maintenance of Arctic vessels and infrastructure.
According to Alexa, spare parts and construction materials have to be obtained through third countries, while Norwegian, Danish, and Dutch companies that previously carried out repair work no longer do so. Bellona also warns of the risk of oil spills involving old and inadequately maintained tankers of the shadow fleet. Vakhrusheva stressed that natural oil degradation occurs more slowly in the cold Arctic environment, while Russia does not publish information about incidents on the Northern Sea Route.
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Original Article: Russian tankers stuck in ice on Northern Sea Route — OilPrice — Ua