Transport Infrastructure of the Arctic Zone: the Calm Before the Breakthrough?

Today, more and more states are showing interest in participating in the active development of the Arctic zone. New opportunities are opening up for establishing regular shipping in the Arctic Ocean. The role of international cooperation in the Arctic is growing. An important issue remains the search for a balance between socio-economic development, economic development of the region and the preservation of unique ecosystems. The importance of modern computer technologies in climatology and hydrometeorology is increasing. The volume of cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route is growing every year: from 2014 to 2020, cargo traffic has grown from 4 million tons to almost 33 million tons. The Northern Sea Route is becoming an important international transport artery. Within the framework of this article, the issues of analyzing the real situation in the field of transport support of the main Arctic regions are considered. The dynamics of the development of the three main types of transport serving the population of the Arctic zones (automobile, sea and aviation) is analyzed and the potential for their development in the region is considered. Statistical data characterizing the development of transport infrastructure in the Arctic zone are presented.