OREANDA-NEWS. August 22, 2011.  On Saturday August 20 the tanker Vladimir Tikhonov set off via Northern Sea Route steered by Rosatomflot’s nuclear icebreakers. This is a Suezmax-class tanker with a deadweight of more than 162,000 tons.

For the first time in history a tanker of such size will pass via the Northern Sea Route. For a comparison, all sea transits via the NSR were made by tankers of deadweight of not more than 73,000 tons loaded with cargo of about 60,000 tons.

The tanker is heading to the Pacific Asia with more than 120,000 tons of gas condensate extracted by JSC Novatek.

The giant tanker will be steered by nuclear icebreakers of Rosatomflot - Yamal and 50 Let Pobedy. The latter finished cruises to the North Pole on August 16 and on August 20 headed from her home port to follow the tanker Vladimir Tikhonov.

The company specialists believe that no difficulties are expected during the steering operation because August-September is the most optimal time for navigation via the Northern Sea Route. Now, the Vladimir Tikhonov is going in the Barents Sea to Cape Zhelaniya.

Also, by the end of this week the bulk-carrier Sanko Odyssey of deadweight 74,800 tons should leave Murmansk. She will carry more than 70,000 tons of EuroChem’s iron ore concentrate produced by Kovdorsky mining and processing combine. The bulker will head to Chinese seaports and will be steered via the NSR also by nuclear icebreakers of Rosatomflot.