• 2016 May 30

    Rostov Region Governor Vasily Golubev: “State support of shipping and shipbuilding is needed to solve high-priority issues of the industry”

    The issue of low water level and significance of inland water transport was covered by Vasily Golubev, Rostov Region Governor, in his interview with IAA PortNews. 

    - How do you estimate the role of inland water transport in the transport system of Russia?
     
    - It is the most efficient and clean type of transport with the lowest rate of incidents. And it allows for reduction of load on highways and railways at parallel cargo routes. 
    Sometimes, water transport is the only possibility to ship oversized cargoes. Yet, its development is hindered by low water level in the rivers today.

    In particular, a section on the Don river in the Rostov Region, from the Kochetkovsky hydrosystem to the first Arpachinsky bar, requires deepening to 4 meters for expansion of cargo flows.

    - What are, in your opinion, the priorities for the development of Russia’s navigable rivers in the coming 10-15 years?

    -  State support of shipping and shipbuilding is needed to solve high-priority issues of the industry. It will let facilitate the fleet renovation, enhance profitability and competitiveness of the shipping business. 

    The position of inland water transport as a full player in Russia’s transport system will therefore improve.

    And again, the priority is to find a solution to low water problem typical for the entire iver industry of Russia. 

    For example, this problem caused the fall of cargo transportation in 2015, down 40% against the year of 2014. 

    This problem has an impact not only on shipping and cargo transportation. Lack of water resources influences many industries like water supply, irrigation and watering, fishery, industrial production. 

    The issue of low water level and the need for recovery of the Tsymlyamsky water basin and its tributaries was discussed at the meeting with RF President in September 2015 following which RF Government made a decision to build a Bagayevsky hydrosystem on the Don river (at Arpachin settlement, Rostov Region). It will let supply water to the Lower Don consumers regardless the hydrometeorological factors.

    Provided by press center of Rostov Region Governor for IAA PortNews.