Despite some activities in the global market of oil cargo transportation seen in the fourth quarter of 2018, the situation is still challenging. It is somewhat better for companies with long-term industrial contracts and diversified business structure allowing them not to be completely dependent on spot rates.

Russia’s first tank containers made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) are already in pilot operation being used for transportation of chemically aggressive substances by railway/river/road transport. Once the international regulatory framework for their use by seaborne transport is shaped, the demand for FRP tank containers may see a sharp increase.

Dynamic development of the shelf zone and introduction of new maritime equipment worldwide spurs the development of a new container market segment – offshore containers being used for supplying fixed and floating platforms and being transshipped in the open sea. Requirements concerning this specific type of transport facilities are becoming tougher but still need to be improved.

With new global sulfur cap in marine fuel and other environmental initiatives coming into force, the markets of shipping, logistics, port infrastructure, production of oil products and LNG will face dramatic changes. Sergey Ivanov, Director, Marine Bunker Exchange (MABUX) AB in an interview with PortNews shares his view on how the new low sulfur marine fuel regulation could hit the entire industry.

Expansion of dredging works performed by Rosmorport using its own resources, need for legislative improvements and construction of specialized fleet in Russia, introduction of innovations are among the key issues discussed at the 2nd Hydraulic Engineering Structures and Dredging Congress.

Shaping of new Arctic management structure has been completed in Russia. Several bodies will be in charge of its development: the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Ministry of Transport, Rosatom, State Commission for Arctic Development Issues. They face a challenging task: cargo base of the Northern Sea Route confirmed by today does not exceed 53 million tonnes per year with a target of 80 million tonnes to be achieved by 2024.

The draft strategy for the development of service exports till 2025 foresees the construction of a fleet of Russian-flagged containerships. The United Shipbuilding Corporation confirms being involved in preliminary negotiations on construction of such ships. There is a design of a 3,000 TEU container carrier intended for operation in the Southern Basin. Such vessels could be in demand both in southern seas and on the Northern Sea Route.

P.P.Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) is the largest Russian research center in the field of oceanology. In his interview with IAA PortNews, Aleksey Sokov, Acting Director of IO RAS, told about the plans on construction of conceptually new research vessels able to perform commercial tasks and about processes in the Arctic and southern seas.

State programme “Development of the Fisheries Industry” will have a new criterion to measure the success of its implementation: the number of ships built under the “keel quota” programme. As of today, construction of 33 units has been approved with a plan to build small-size ships and research ships being elaborated. Local content of some vessels is as high as 60%.

Amid the news about Gazprom’s plans to build a plant for production of liquefied natural gas on the Sakhalin, Mikhail Skigin, co-owner of Port Poronaisk LLC, tells IAA PortNews about the plans on construction of an up-to-date port infrastructure, including that for transshipment and storing of LNG.