Governance of the Northern Sea Route in the Post-Post-Cold War Era

The lure of international shipping through the Arctic, and particularly via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) along the Russian coast has been on a roller coaster of attention in the 21st century. The initial excitement over the NSR as a promising option for international economic exchange was tempered first by underwhelming actual developments and subsequently by the impact of the war in Ukraine, followed by an unprecedented wave of foreign sanctions. Nevertheless, the NSR offers a shorter passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific owing to its geographical position, and climate change will continue to impact the navigability of this route. It is too early to dismiss the NSR as a viable option, and the effects of the current practice of the Russian Federation may be long-term. This article examines Russia’s latest efforts to regulate the NSR in light of the ongoing conflict with Ukraine and tensions with the West. The Arctic, including the NSR, has clearly become the highest domestic priority. Russia has recently amended its Arctic baselines, redesigned the navigation regime applicable to foreign sovereign-immune vessels on the NSR, and introduced significant amendments to route management.