The Northern Sea Route runs through the seas of the Arctic Ocean — the Barents Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, Chukchi Sea, and partly through the Pacific Ocean’s Bering Sea.

The Northern Sea Route has been known since ancient times, but its active development began in the 16th–17th centuries, during the search for the Northeast Passage — an alternative route to China and India. Russian, English, and Dutch expeditions explored the Arctic. In 1525, Russian explorer Semyon Dezhnev became the first to cross Chukotka and discover the strait later named after him. The English navigator Hugh Willoughby also attempted to traverse the route, though his expedition ended tragically.

At the end of the 16th century, Dutch navigator Willem Barents undertook three expeditions (1594–1597) to Novaya Zemlya, providing one of the first detailed descriptions of ice conditions in the region. However, regular navigation along the route became possible much later.

In the 18th century, the Russian Empire launched systematic Arctic research. The most significant undertaking was the Great Northern Expedition (1733–1743), led by Vitus Bering. During the expedition, the coasts of Chukotka, Alaska, and Kamchatka were explored, new territories were discovered, and was confirmed the existence of a strait between Asia and America.

In the early 20th century, the Russian expedition led by Boris Vilkitsky completed the mapping of the entire Northern Sea Route, including the discovery of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. After the 1917 Revolution, the Soviet Union continued developing the Arctic. In 1932, under the leadership of Otto Schmidt, the first full transit of the NSR under the Soviet flag took place.

Special attention was given to the creation of an icebreaker fleet and a network of meteorological stations. Early icebreakers, such as the famous Krasin , significantly improved navigational capabilities. Regular shipping along the Northern Sea Route began in the 1930s and was used during the Great Patriotic War for transporting vital cargo.

The modern Northern Sea Route is a high-tech transport corridor equipped with essential infrastructure and supported by a powerful icebreaker fleet. Russia leads in Arctic navigation, operating the world’s largest nuclear-powered icebreakers capable of breaking through even the most severe ice conditions.

A key advantage of the Northern Sea Route is its ability to significantly reduce cargo delivery times between Europe and Asia. This enables fuel savings, lower carbon emissions, and reduced transportation costs.

Today, the NSR is one of Russia’s key national projects in the field of transit freight transportation.