Russia opens Arctic corridor for imports via Northern Sea Route

President Vladimir Putin announced at the Eastern Economic Forum 2026 that the Arctic corridor will become a new route for importing goods into Russia, with year-round navigation planned for the Northern Sea Route. The transarctic transport corridor, running from St. Petersburg and Murmansk via the Northern Sea Route to Vladivostok and Asia-Pacific countries, aims to ensure stable import supplies amid geopolitical instability. Putin noted the first container ship from China to Murmansk completed the route in August 2026. Arctic sea terminals will be integrated with rail and inland waterways to connect cargo flows from central Russia, the Urals, and Siberia. Infrastructure work includes building icebreakers, expanding satellite systems, and modernizing ports, with the Vostok Oil project in Krasnoyarsk Krai as a key initiative.