It is reported that in course of the year, Norilsk Nickel's own fleet transported nearly 1 million tonnes of goods, including 449 tonnes of metal products and 156 tonnes of nickel matte.

Norilsk Nickel has over the last years developed its own fleet of vessels capable of handling the lion's share of the major shipping operations from Norilsk and Dudinka to Murmansk and abroad.

The company's ice class cargo vessels Norilski Nikel, Monchegorsk, Zapolyarny, Talnakh and Nadezhda in 2009 conducted 57 voyages to Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Rotterdam.

In December 2009, the company opened a logistics office in Rotterdam to serve the company’s cargo transport between Europe and the Arctic port of Dudinka. The direct route from Dudinka to Rotterdam was opened in 2009.

Norilsk Nickel is now preparing a new contract on building of an ice class tanker. The tanker is planned to be used both for the company’s own needs, and for transport of gas condensate to Europe from the Petlyatkin gas condensate filed on the Taymyr Peninsula.

(Sourced from www.barentsobserver.com)