Enge’s remarks came at Bellona’s side event at the Arctic Frontiers conference, which convened on Monday in Tromsø, Norway. The 5,600-kilometer Northern Sea Route runs along Russia Arctic northern coast in an area characterized by vast distances and harsh winters. Should an accident occur along the artery, search and rescue missions would be severely hampered by the elements.

Major environmental consequences

Such scenarios would have catastrophic consequences for human crews aboard Arctic faring ships. It will also be very difficult to address oil spills along the route, which is also the habitat of a number of seabirds red listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“The oil booms we have cannot handle seas over two meters, or strong currents, or high winds,” said Enge. “They also cannot be effectively operated in darkness or sea ice. In other words, neither Russia or the other Arctic nations the technology to handle a major marine oil spill during the Arctic winter,” said Enge.

Russia’s shadow fleet

Bellona has recently been closely monitoring Russia’s shadow fleet, which consists of vessels used to circumvent Western sanctions using anonymous ships that bring Russian oil and gas to whatever markets are willing to pay. These often dilapidated vessels are not built to withstand Arctic waters, nor are they crewed by sailors trained to sail that far north.

“There are strict international regulations for which ships can sail in Arctic waters. A number of the vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet are grossly violating these regulations,” Enge said.

Bellona fears that transport along the Northern Sea Route will increase as Russia forges more illicit markets for their oil and gas. Such irresponsible practices dramatically increase the risk of a serious accident, and are a clear consequence of Western sanctions as Russia seeks to feed its war economy.

Deep dive into the Russian Arctic

The panel also highlighted the current situation in Russia’s extractive industry, nuclear activity in the Russian Arctic, as well as the situation for civil society. Among others, Bellona’s Ksenia Vakhrusheva spoke about how Russia is now going for more mineral and oil and gas extraction in the Arctic without considering any goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or reduce environmental consequences.

Video of Bellona’s event at Arctic Frontiers