ASPECTS OF PROVIDING ECOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY OF THE NORTHERN SEA ROUTE CONTAINER TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

One of the important tasks of environment conservation, such as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by commercial fleet, which is under special consideration of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and becoming a basis of world trade policy, is considered in the paper. The analysis of the container transportation system in world trade demonstrates its growing role. The dynamics and trends of the modern container fleet for the period of 2015-2020 confirm the thesis of the growing importance of the container system in world trade. The volumes of greenhouse gas emissions and contributions by the tanker, bulk carrier and container segments of the world merchant fleet are considered, the conclusion about the low environmental efficiency of the container fleet toward the volume of cargo flow is presented. Options and consequences of including the Northern Sea Route in the global logistics network to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are proposed. Based on early studies, the comparative calculations linking variation of ship speed with reduction of carbon dioxide emissions for four types of container ships on the routes including the Northern Sea Route and through the Suez Canal are given. Estimates for the mentioned reduction due to shortening the route between Europe and Asia are proposed. The practical applicability of the calculated estimates and their impact on the overall environmental friendliness of transport corridors in the case of more active use of the Northern Sea Route as a transit route for the goods flow from the Asia- Pacific region is discussed.