A debate on feasibility of Belkomur project was held in the framework of the 2nd International Arctic Forum “the Arctic - Territory of Dialogue." Here is a dialog of Governor of Perm region Oleg Chirkunov and Russian Deputy Transport Minister Viktor Olersky, who participated in the discussion.

Gazprom sets out for the development of large gas condensate deposits. At the same time the company's strategy is aimed at full control over all logistics of gas transportation, which involves a fleet of tankers, gas carriers and its management. Director of Shippings of Gazprom Marketing & Trading Nikolai Grigoriev told PorNews about how the project will be implemented.

The Bulgaria cruise ship sinking on the Volga River on July 10, 2011 became the largest accident on inland waterways in the history of modern Russia. The disaster took the lives of 122 people, most of them women and children.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has outlined the priorities in the development of port infrastructure of Russia’s North-West. Among them - the development of the Ust-Luga port, Murmansk transport hub project, transport infrastructure for the development of northern offshore oil deposits and shipment of LNG, as well as measures to support domestic shipyards.

Unnecessary delays of ships in Russian ports substantially reduce their competitiveness, and the current border crossing procedures inherited from Soviet era do not correspond any more to the modern realities.

Recently, the project of a deepwater port in Arkhangelsk, named Belkomur project, has been included in the program of Russia’s North-West Federal District development until 2020. The new port’s projected throughput is estimated at 28 million tons a year. However, presented calculations of cargo base of the future port raised doubts among some experts.

Despite a slight 0.5 percent decline in cargo throughput of Russian ports in the first half of this year (-0.5%), handling of outbound cargoes rose 1 percent to 243 410 000 tons. At the same time, foreign ports boosted cargo traffic by 7.5 percent from a year earlier, to 54.21 million tons. Analysts say major exports flow from Russian ports will hardly be down even if a new economic crisis comes, yet are not certain about the ability of Russian ports to increase its share in handling of the cargo.

The tragic death of 122 passengers of the river boat "Bulgaria" on Volga river will inevitably lead to some changes in government regulation of river passenger transport industry. A number of operators will most likely leave the market, others will make additional investment to meet the new requirements of security and service quality. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has supported a number of proposals by the Transport Ministry, which would increase the requirements for shipping companies and tighten state control over their activities.

United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) believes the acquisition of shipyards specializing in the construction of river-sea going vessels as promising. USC mulls over acquisition of Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard, Okskaya Shipyard and Nevsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Yard. On the other hand, the Corporation loses interest in buying Baltic Shipyard which, according to the Accounting Chamber’s audit has been on the verge of bankruptcy. USC now stake more on the construction of a new shipyard at the Kotlin Iceland. As to a modern super shipyard project on the bases of Northern Shipyard in Primorsk, the Corp. management now considers it as unfeasible.

Current plans of Volga Shipping Company are associated with upgrading its fleet. On May 20, Volga Shipping commissioned the Captain Ruzmankin, a modern day cargo carrier of Project RSD44. The Company expects the delivery of three more vessels of the series, now being outfitted and undergoing sea trials. The Volga Shipping’s Managing Director Alexander Shishkin told in a recent interview with the PortNews correspondent about current development and plans of the company.