Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum that Russia aims to make navigation across the Transarctic transport corridor (the Northern Sea Route) year-round and asked the government to promptly finalize the corridor's development plan. ^[1] Anton Basansky, State Secretary and Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, stated that freight traffic along the Northern Sea Route increased by 13% in the first five months of 2026. ^[2] Bloomberg reported that Russian oil supplies to China shipped via the Northern Sea Route increased significantly in 2026. ^[3] Because the Northern Sea Route is shorter, ships can complete voyages faster and return sooner for new oil cargoes, increasing fleet turnover and the effective size of the available fleet. ^[4] The Northern Sea Route is much shorter than traditional routes to Asia via the Suez Canal or around Africa, but its short navigation season prevents full year-round use. ^[5] The announcement was made at the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok from September 1-4, 2026. ^[6]