Franz Josef Land is an archipelago located in the Far North, the part of the Arkhangelsk Region (Primorsky district). This territorial formation consists of more than 190 islands. Zemlya Georga is the largest island, Northbrook Island is the most popular for polar explorers, Rudolph Island is the northernmost one, our famous compatriot, polar explorer Sedov, is buried there.
Delivery of cargo to Franz Josef Land is carried out all year round — during the four summer navigation months by free water, and at other times with the support of icebreakers. Tourists come here several times a year, there is a small town of border guards on Alexandra Land, so there is a need for transportation.
Transportation to Franz Josef Land is carried out only by sea, since the runway on Alexandra Land has not yet been reconstructed. In total, the archipelago is divided into the eastern, central and western parts. The first group of islands is separated from the rest of the territory by the Austrian Strait. In the eastern part there is the second largest island of the archipelago — Wilczek Land, almost entirely covered with a glacier.
Transportation of various cargoes to Franz Josef Land is possible from anywhere in Russia. Basically, the connection is maintained with Alexandra Land, Heiss and Rudolf Islands, where polar stations and an observatory operate. On Heiss Island, there is even a post office, which works 1 day a week. Often it is necessary to bring construction materials and equipment to Alexandra Land. The dispatch of various, including large-sized cargoes to Franz Josef Land is one of the specializations of our company.
Most of the islands of the archipelago are covered with ice. Previously, the entire territory was considered a natural reserve, but in 2016 this status was eliminated. In exchange for the state reserve status, some islands and partially the sea became a part of the “Russian Arctic” park. In summer, cruise ships go there.
Arctic shipping offers logistics of any cargo to Franz Josef Land. We work out the transport plan, taking into account all the features of the complex route, we take care of the cargo and customs clearance if necessary.
No one has ever lived settled on the archipelago, only temporary settlements are here: scientists, border guards, meteorologists. Taking into account the state reserve elimination and the release of a number of territories, it can be assumed that over time, industrial oil production can be established here. In this case, cargo transportation to Franz Josef Land will become more frequent: materials for the construction of oil bases and other goods will be required. Even today, several times a year or even more often, we receive orders for transportation to Franz Josef Land.
Most often tourist ships pass Rudolf Island, but during the summer navigation there are other stops. The border control now operates on the archipelago and this allows passengers to pass the Russian border and increases the number of arriving tourists. Ship logistics of cargo transportation has also been simplified thanks to this solution, as the time for imported goods clearance has decreased.
