The number of regular maritime freight and passenger voyages from Murmansk to Spitsbergen will be doubled in 2026, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Alexei Chekunkov reported.   

“On instructions from the Government Commission on Ensuring the Russian Presence on the Spitsbergen Archipelago, regular maritime freight and passenger traffic has been launched between the ports of Murmansk and Barentsburg since July.  We are using the Professor Molchanov vessel for this purpose. There will be five voyages before the end of this year. In 2026, this number will double,” the minister said.