Rusya Federasyonu’nda Baltık Denizi’nden Kuzey Buz Denizi’ne İç Su Yolları ile Ulaşımının Dünü, Bugünü ve Yarını

Abstract

Due to global climate change, melting glaciers have significantly impacted waterway transportation by providing new trade routes in sea and ocean regions. These new alternative routes will not only alleviate the traffic burden on existing canals and the Bosphorus, but also save distance and time in transportation. The Russian Federation persists at the forefront of waterway transportation, with exceptionally safe and economical waterways, compared to other avenues of transportation. Featuring the longest coast and inland waterway in the Arctic, the Russian Federation is developing a strategic plan for waterway expansion to be fully enacted by 2030. This research explores the contribution of natural and artificial inland waterways to the country’s economy, along with the canals, rivers, and lakes that connect the Baltic Sea and Arctic Ocean. First, this study examines the transportation activities on the most common inland waterways and canals around the world and their significance on trade. Second, this study analyzes the economic and ecological dimensions of these inland waterways, in comparison with transportation by air, land, and railway. Finally, this study evaluates the present and future contributions of inland waterways, canals, rivers, and lakes that link the Baltic and the Arctic Sea to the domestic and international trade in the Russian Federation. Within the framework of this study, the literature review includes Turkish, English, and Russian sources.