The voyage of the Yong Sheng assisted by Russian nuclear powered icebreaker the 50 Let Pobedy.
Even in August, ice remains a danger.
Without escorts by icebreakers, no more than five of which are available in the Russian arctic, transits are not possible.
“ Northeast of the Kara Sea, in the narrow channel [leading to the Laptev sea], you could see plenty of ice. That area was packed. It took one day to get through.” The channel, just north of the Taymyr Peninsula, marks the most northerly point of the Eurasian land mass.
The 50 Let Pobedy met with the Yong Sheng.
Passages in this area while not common are undertaken but only with Ice Breakers in attendance.
