From mandatory icebreaker guiding to a permission regime: changes to the new Russian legislation of the Northern Sea Route

This article focuses on two issues. The first concerns definitions of the Northern Sea Route （NSR） in old and new Russian legislation, and the second relates to Russian rules on icebreaker guiding. Based on a comprehensive comparative analysis of relevant Russian legal provisions enacted in 2013 and previous laws in this area, we offer the following conclusions. （1） Our legal analysis indicates that Russia＇s view of the NSR as a historical national transportation route has not changed. However, the new law redefines the scope and coverage of the NSR, which now comprises the internal waters, territorial sea, adjacent zone, and the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation. In fact, the new law resolves previous ambiguity regarding extension of the NSR boundary to the high seas. （2） Based on an analysis of the new rules on icebreaker guiding, the article concludes that NSR is transitioning from a mandatory icebreaker guiding regime into a permit regime. This is particularly evident in its provision of a concrete, practical, and predictable clause on permissible or impermissible conditions relating to independent navigation. According to the new rules, it is possible for foreign ships to undertake independent navigation in the NSR. The Russian NSR policy, therefore, appears to have changed significantly, and has future potential for opening the NSR up to the international community.

A Business Ecosystem＇s Model for Harnessing Nigeria＇s Ocean Economy

The reassessment of ocean economy contribution of nations has become a new strategy for frontier states adjacent to the coastal region for the improvement of their position in the efficiency frontier curve. The continuity of a coastal state to remain a leader in the production and efficiency frontier curve of modem day development will thus depend on their ability to sustainably develop their most strategic economic resource base such as the ocean economy. The major economic bases include sustainable fishing, offshore oil field developments, offshore biodiversity development and marine biotechnology, offshore mining of manganese nodules, offshore wind farm potentials, international shipping （marine transport） and adjoining corridor development, ship dry docking potentials, marine renewable energy as well as other potentials outlined in the definition of African Union strategy for the development of her blue economy. Adopting the regression analysis and analysis of variance analytical tools, the study found that about 90% association exist between the GDP （gross domestic product） of the West African state （Nigeria） and her GDP. It equally found that offshore oil and gas energy sector more significantly impact on the GDP of Nigeria than other ocean economy business clusters. Given the various contributing marine environment business cluster used in the work, the model depicting the influence of the ocean economy of Nigeria is： Y = 2295334779895 - 294733（1 ＋ 3436995749 - 59276863（2 ＋ e.