http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 1546 editor@iaeme.com International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 10, Issue 02, February 2019, pp. 1546-1553, Article ID: IJCIET_10_02_149 Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=02 ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN SEA ROUTE AS THE MAIN TRANSPORT LOGISTICS NETWORK: LEGAL PERSPECTIVE Svetlana Zhura, Irina Ershova, Ivan Savelev, Elena Bogdanova, Nadezhda Chertova Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M. V. Lomonosov ABSTRACT With the development of international relations regarding the status of the Arctic and the whole Arctic Region, it is becoming apparent that Arctic territories are among the most important strategic areas in the global politics. Economic and political interests along with cooperation in the field of science and technology and implementation of logistic projects remain priority orientations for the development. Development of the Northern Sea Route as the main transport logistics network is impossible without determination of its legal status and resolving the issues related to the lack of unified and structured legal environment that could regulate maritime traffic, particularly one in the high latitudes. Studying national and international rules of law allows for the conclusion that the Russian state maritime policy is generally similar to the legal framework established in other Arctic countries, which main strategic aim lies in identifying tasks and ways of fulfilling their national interests. At the same time, the study revealed a number of legal problems, which are to be resolved by means of scientific cooperation and more active exploitation of resources provided by the Arctic Council, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and its Working Group for the Northern Sea Route, as well as by the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, the Arctic Initiative and the Northern Dimension. Keywords: Arctic Region, Northern Sea Route, Russian state maritime policy. Cite this Article: Svetlana Zhura, Irina Ershova, Ivan Savelev, Elena Bogdanova, Nadezhda Chertova, Development of the Northern Sea Route as the Main Transport Logistics Network: Legal Perspective, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 10(02), 2019, pp. 1546–1553 http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=02 1. INTRODUCTION Over the past few decades, the Arctic and its coastal territories have become one of the most highly-demanded regions of the world drawing attention of the whole global community. International cooperation in the Arctic is a rather multi-faceted and challenging sphere. Priority