New ferry line Baltijsk-Sassnits for cargo transportation between Europe and Russia is to be launched on February 21, 2016. If the customs and the weather are favourable towards the new line, the service frequency can be up to three times per week. This will let partially diffuse a problem caused by the ban imposed on transportation of Russian cargoes across Poland. Yet, it is not clear if the new line will be able to change the truck haulage logistics on a long-term basis.

Having taken his new position combining the functions of Deputy Minister of Transport and Head of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot), Victor Olersky will be responsible both for the state policy issues in the industry and for providing of state services, management of federal property at seaborne and river transport. Two days after taking his office Victor Olersky answers the questions of IAA PortNews.

Maxim Kochetkov, Director of Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Facilities Department at RF Ministry of Industry and Trade, tells IAA PortNews about state measures to support shipbuilding and import substitution in Russia.

Kostroma Marine Engineering Plant is among the best known manufacturers of boats in Russia. Andrei Smirnov, Chairman of the plant’s BoD, tells IAA PortNews about the company, import substitution, required measures of state support and industry development trends.

The need for dredging at numerous water areas of Russia suggests the need for domestic dredgers the construction of which is in full swing at Krasnoye Sormovo shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod.

Dmitry Khritin, Director General of MNP Group (Marine Oil & Gas Projects), tells IAA PortNews about the Group’s activities during the past year and the plans for the nearest future.

First Deputy Head of the Federal Basin Administration (FBA) "Morspassluzhba of Rosmorrechflot" Dmitry Smirnov told about results of emergency response and rescue operations in 2015 in an interview with IAA PortNews

There was a trend in operation of the Baltic Sea based Russian ports in 2015: the terminals throughput statistics showed a shift from handling best-paying loads to raw commodities. The trend will likely to continue in 2016.

Russia is the leader of Arctic development. Apart from Sabetta, Novoportovskoye and Murmansk based projects, Russia is looking into creation of other terminals, reconstruction of Naryan-Mar port and establishment of a container line. Yet, practical development of Arctic infrastructure is not as smooth as desired.

Gennady Korotkin, Chairman of ECOSPAS BoD, tells IAA PortNews about the gaps of Russia's safety legislation, oil spill response methods, import substitution and plans for further development of the company.