From August 25 Russian Railways OJSC planned to call off all conventions in the port of Tuapse which came into effect from August 14 due to the strike of dock workers. Late last week all bans for shipment of grain were lifted while the ban for other cargo was still in effect. However, contrary to the expectations, the convention on coal transportation to the port of Tuapse is still kept on Monday

In March 2008, a joint project was launched by the Committee of Natural Resources, Environment and Ecological Safety of Saint Petersburg Government and Kotka Maritime Research Centre (KMRC, Finland). The project is aimed at creation of a center to train personnel for oil pollution recovery. Russia has never had any institute for personnel training in this sphere.

Interdepartmental commission under the Leningrad region Government allowed company Aurora to build a port for transshipment of automobiles in Vistino Bay at the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. The completion of a project valued at RUR 7.5 bln is scheduled for 2013. If the project is implemented the Leningrad region will get the third port for car handling

LUKOIL has acquired eight oil product terminals with the total capacity of 300,000 m3 in Turkey. Six of the acquired terminals have have access to the sea shipment routes. Three of the eight oil terminals are connected to the TUPRAS refinery by a product pipeline network. According to LUKOIL President Vagit Alekperov, the transaction value exceeded $500 million

On July 25, the first phase of the car transshipment terminal was put into operation in Novoshakhtinsk (Rostov region). The new complex is the first automobile terminal in Russia’s southern region. Experts say the terminal in Novoshakhtinsk will help to unload Moscow Customs and diversify transport flows though not competing with the Baltic segment of automobile delivery

Leningrad region Government plans to work out a strategy for transport complex development till 2020. The regional strategy in the context of the RF Transport Strategy envisages implementation of a number of long-term projects anyway related to St. Petersburg. In case of the strategy successful implementation, Leningrad region will have at least two encircling highways and Neva will get an alternate route

From January 1, 2009, all fish and bioresources caught by Russian vessels in the Barents, Baltic and Black Seas will be delivered to the customs territory of Russia according to a Decree signed by RF Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on June 30

RF Government starts a program on development of Russia’s inland waterways till 2015. Within the program framework it is planned to develop construction of new large-capacity vessels. Moreover, if national ship owners fail to increase cargo turnover, inland waterways of Russia are likely to be opened for vessels flying foreign flags as a measure of competitiveness improvement. The program financing has been allocated till 2010 already

The forecast for the development of Russian foreign trade cargo transportation by sea routes between the North West, Black Sea and Far East regions has been provided to PortNews IAA by Andrei Karpov, Head of analytical agency Dorn

The master plan for the development of motor roads around the port of Ust-Luga has been worked out in July of the current year. According to Maxim Shirokov, Director General of Company Ust-Luga OJSC, one of the alternative solutions for a highway problem is to establish a partnership involving all the port’s investors