Main growth factors include oil and gas, mining and fishing projects, according to the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group.   

In 2025, overall Arctic navigation distances nearly doubled and reached 11.9 million nautical miles. Each year, vessels conduct repeat runs; this mostly concerns sailing along the Russian coast and within logistic chains of mining enterprises.

Navigation peaks in August-October when sea-ice formations hit an annual all-time low. In September 2025, 1,060 vessels were recorded in the Arctic, accounting for 58 percent of annual traffic.

Fishing vessels place first, followed by freighters. Crude oil tankers are the most rapidly growing category; in the past 12 years, their number soared four times over. LNG shipments are expanding actively. No LNG tankers traversed Russian Arctic waters before 2017; last year, 40 different tankers operated in the Polar Code zone.