The state trust "Arktikugol" is in urgent need of expanding its fleet to meet the demand for transportation as part of its operations on the Spitsbergen archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. This was stated by General Director Ildar Neverov.
The need is urgent, it is even critical in some places. But we have a plan to, so to speak, "untangle" this logistical knot, and we will stick to it.
According to him, the main problem is the shortage of vessels that comply with the Polar Code requirements for operations in high latitudes. There are only a few such vessels in Russia, Neverov added.
Currently, the trust uses all available options for delivering passengers to Spitsbergen. This includes cargo ships, research vessels (NIS), and yachts, the top manager concluded.
The "Arktikugol" trust is engaged in coal and mineral extraction. Development is carried out at the "Barentsburg" mine, which houses a mechanized coal mine with a modern technological complex, a thermal power plant, a port, and a helipad.