During last year’s entire four-month Arctic navigation season, about 13.1 million barrels of crude were transported via the Northern Sea Route. Oil tankers on the NSR or heading for the Arctic on August 3, 2026. Russia has deployed three nuclear-powered icebreakers along the Northern Sea Route to support this year’s navigation season. The growing Arctic convoy underscores Moscow’s increasing reliance on the Northern Sea Route as geopolitical risks mount along more traditional shipping corridors. Russia has steadily expanded Arctic oil shipments since Western sanctions redirected much of its crude exports from Europe toward China and India.