To develop its ports Russia should renovate its dredging and technical fleet having ensured import substitution in this segment. At the Hydraulic Engineering Structures and Dredging Congress organized by Media Group PortNews, representatives of ad hoc ministries, agencies and companies were discussing recent developments in this sphere and the ways to achieve this objective and to improve industry-specific legislation.

In 2017, the share of Russia’s foreign trade cargo transshipped via the ports of the Baltic states and Ukraine decreased by about 0.6% to 6.21%. At the same time, transshipment of Russian cargo via the ports of Ukraine surged over 2-fold amid the deficit of dry cargo handling facilities in the Russian Federation.

Reconstruction of Crimean ports under Federal Targeted Programme is postponed for at least two years because of disagreements between Crimean Sea Ports and contractors involved in design and survey work.

The law securing transportation of cargo loaded on the Northern Sea Route by RF-flagged ships will facilitate the development of Arctic shipbuilding in Russia. Shipyards of Saint-Petersburg and the Leningrad Region have been traditionally holding the lead in this segment but their leadership will soon be undermined by Primorsk Territory’s Zvezda backed by Rosneft.

Russia numbers more than 60 seaports and dozens of stevedoring companies. Mooring facilities and docking equipment at many of them are obsolete and worn-out while their domestic production is not sufficient. This situation opens great potential for foreign suppliers.

Liquefied natural gas is becoming the key driver for the development of the Arctic and Arctic shipping, both in Russia and in the USA. With the Alaska LNG project the two countries obtain an opportunity to settle the issue of shipping in the Bering Strait, which is essential for the functioning of the Northern Sea Route and for LNG exports from Alaska.

The ports of Crimea have started decreasing their loss for the first time in a three year period. The flow of passengers and cargoes has stabilized.

Russia has generally fulfilled its strategic task on shifting cargo flows to domestic harbours, though there is still a deficit of dedicated terminals in some freight segments. Resolving of systemic problems of inland water ways has begun but the problem of competition with railways has blown up. Shipbuilding has focused on import substitution, introduction of new technologies and alternative fuels with shipping industry to enjoy reasonable protectionism.

It is recognized that administrative burden hinders the development of business. Yet, international and national regulations are introduced to ensure safety and environment protection, prevent illicit activities and unfair competition. Vitaly Klyuyev, Director of RF Transport Ministry's Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport, tells IAA PortNews about the ways to avoid overregulation of shipping and simplify the document flow system.

The outgoing year features a clear trend that has emerged earlier – the decrease of interest to cost-intensive mega-projects. At the same time, high priority projects already launched are supposed to be completed. Most of projects with vague prospects were developed for the North and Far East and they are hindered by insufficient infrastructure.