By TZBN Staff and Agencies.
Three African country flags were hoisted at the North Pole this August of 2024—courtesy of the Russian Federation. Talented youth from three African nations hoisted their country flags at the tip of planet earth at climax of a scientific expedition Russia had invited the children to be a part.
Nick Viorel Pruna hoisted the South African flag. Jules Marcel Keutchanga hoisted the Cameroonian flag. Islem Bouchouicha hoisted the Tunisian Flag. The youth did not get to see the arctic polar bear or snow fox; but they got to see walruses–those lazy ‘arctic elephants’ without legs. It was a breath-taking expedition according to reports made available to TZBN.
The expedition’s name was Rosatom’s International Arctic Expedition, also called the “Icebreaker of Knowledge”. It was not the first time it had taken place, but it was the first time African children from South Africa, Cameroon and Tunisia had been taken along.
On August 13, 2024, the fifth Arctic expedition Icebreaker of Knowledge, organised with the support of Rosatom and the ‘Knowledge’Russian society, set off from Murmansk to the North Pole. This year, the Atomflot’s (Rosatom’s company) nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy took on board an international team of talented schoolchildren and experts from 15 countries for the first time. The experts were selected among participants of the World Youth Festival in Sochi in 2024.
Leonid Irlitsa, Director General of Atomflot said at the ceremonial start of the Rosatom Arctic expedition Icebreaker of Knowledge: “Rosatom is delighted to welcome the participants of the Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition. The corporation is especially honoured that the expedition acquired international status in the year of the 65th anniversary of the nuclear icebreaker fleet”. Russia is heir to the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a staunch supporter of African liberation.
“Fifteen participants of the World Youth Festival, children from the countries where we are actively deploying nuclear technologies, and the best Russian schoolchildren will become the true team. The Arctic unites talented and goal-oriented people! I wish you good luck!” Irlitsa said.
The scientific and educational project, Icebreaker of Knowledge, is aimed at popularising natural sciences and technologies of the nuclear industry, finding and supporting talented and gifted children, developing their abilities and career guidance. Since the start of the project, more than 300 gifted schoolchildren have taken part in Arctic expeditions on the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy.
The nuclear icebreaker fleet includes seven icebreakers: the lead universal nuclear icebreaker Arktika, the first serial universal nuclear icebreaker Sibir, the second serial universal nuclear icebreaker Ural, the nuclear icebreakers Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taimyr, and Vaigach.
This year’s “Icebreaker of Knowledge” is the fifth scientific and educational expedition and the first international voyage under the project timed to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the nuclear icebreaker fleet.
The nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy with the expedition team on board departed from Murmansk on August 13. The project participants delivered their national flags to the North Pole where the “Icebreaker of Knowledge” arrived on August 17. On August 22, the Arctic expedition returned to Murmansk.
The expedition included 78 talented schoolchildren and young experts from Russia, China, Hungary, India, South Africa, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Belarus, Armenia, Uzbekistan and other countries.
The project was organized by the network of Information Centers on Atomic Energy with the support of Rosatom and Znanie Russian Society as the project intellectual partner. During the expedition, the team participated in a rich educational program including lectures, master classes, scientific games, film shows and a lot of other activities.
The “Icebreaker of Knowledge” participants on board the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy covered 2979 miles. For the first time, the kids travelled to the North Pole, watched fascinating landscapes of the Franz Josef Land archipelago.
“We saw icebergs, walruses and whales. Sailors, scientists, engineers, researchers, the Arctic is waiting for you! The “Icebreaker of Knowledge 2024″ returned to Murmansk ready to reach the top of the planet again next year,” said Ruslan Sasov, Captain of the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, upon return of the expedition.
“It was an incredible adventure! I think I am the first child from India to visit the North Pole on a nuclear icebreaker. On the voyage, we learned a lot about science and technology, actively communicated with experts and discussed various issues. It was a very valuable experience. I really enjoyed traveling on anuclear icebreaker – it is fast and powerful, and very comfortable,” said Neeven Ved, the expedition participant from India
On the icebreaker, they also filmed a documentary series about the life of the international team of schoolchildren participating in that Arctic voyage.
During the expedition, Rosatom and Znanie Russian Society ran the northernmost lecture course: Scientists and popularizers of science gave talks on board the icebreaker and at the North Pole. Znanie Russian Society is going to show the northernmost lecture course and the series “Icebreaker of Knowledge” to the public on its platforms in future according to information made available to TZBN.
Russia is the only country in the world that boasts a nuclear icebreaker fleet. In 2018, Rosatom was appointed the infrastructure operator of the Northern Sea Route. Rosatom considers the development of the Arctic infrastructure and shipping as one of its key tasks. In December 2019, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the NSR Infrastructure Development Plan until 2035 worked out by Rosatom.
MEANWHILE Russia is actively developing the arctic route to validate it as a viable transshipment alternative. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is the shortest shipping route connecting the western part of Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Rosatom deems the development of the Arctic infrastructure and shipping as one of its key tasks. In 2018, the Government of the Russian Federation appointed Rosatom the NSR infrastructure operator and later, in December 2019, approved the NSR Infrastructure Development Plan until 2035 proposed by Rosatom.
In order to develop economies, countries turn to international logistics. There are several major working transportation corridors today: the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the routes through the Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca straits. Maritime shipping is an integral part in world’s trade system. Thus, developing trade routes strongly affects supply chains all around the world, African continent included.
One of the promising trade routes nowadays is the Northern Sea Route (NSR). On August 1, 2024, the Northern Sea Route General Administration, Federal State Budgetary Institution (NSR General Administration FSBI), established for the purposes of safe and comfortable navigation conditions in the NSR waters, presented the results of its two-year work.
“The base of customers for information and navigation support of voyages in the NSR waters almost doubled in two years. While in 2023 we had 9 contracts, in 2024 we have as much as 16 contracts, and there will be more,” Sergey Zybko, Director General of NSR General Administration FSBI, said.
In total, there were 2,603 voyages made and more than 2,300 icebreaker escorts organised in the waters of the Northern Sea Route, with about 2,400 navigation permits issued under the direct control of NSR General Administration FSBI over two years. Besides, the Marine Operations Headquarters of the administration developed a unique deep-water route, which made possible the first ever transit of Capesize vessels along the NSR. The professional team of NSR General Administration FSBI ensured trouble-free navigation on the route for two years, which adds to the attractiveness of the NSR as a commercial shipping route. According to 2023 results, the NSR international transshipment exceeded 2 million tons of cargo. On July 5, 2024, Atomflot presented the preliminary outcomes of 2024 winter-spring navigation. In the period from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024, nuclear icebreakers assisted 438 ship calls (against 435 calls for the same period in 2023) with the total gross tonnage of 50.4 million tons (against 48.6 million tons for the same period in 2023).
