The Vilkitsky Strait between the Siberian coast and the islands of Severnaya Zemlya is one of the key areas for navigating the Northern Sea Route,, is already devoid of fast ice, one month earlier than last year. The Russian operator of nuclear icebreakers, Rosatomflot, is expecting the season to start with smaller vessels, around 20,000 dwt, larger vessels of greater draft, will take a more northerly route available in July. If conditions remain favourable the route could remain open as late as November. Use of the Northern Sea Route has increased rapidly during the last two years. In 2010, four vessels used the route with a total cargo of 111 000 tons, in 2011, 34 vessels sailed from Europe to Asia with a total cargo of 820,000 tons. The prognosis for 2012 is that cargo volume is expected to double to 1,5 million tons. [More]