The crisis year has left its traces on port projects - not all plans announced by companies or the government have been implemented in the past year. Several transshipment port complexes of total capacity of 54 million tons had to be put into operation in 2009.

Russian Railways (RZD) JSC has suspended recently loading operations on trains bound for the Far East seaports. Cars contracted to the port of Vanino stay idle as expected. Moreover, the Vladivostok port-bound container trains have gotten into “traffic jam”.

Cargo turnover at Russian ports according to year-end figures will exceed 490 million tons. IAA "PortNews" analysts say that in two recent years of the global crisis the country's port industry has just overcome successfully, but also showed high profitability. The growth of cargo handling this year has been at 8.5% beating last year's 1%.

The number of cargoes handled in the port of Astrakhan in 2009 has increased almost by a quarter compared to the last year's figures. The Caspian estuarine port of Astrakhan works stably. Seaport of Olya is still just a small terminal considering cargo turnover. But industrial politicians set strategic tasks before it. Magomed Abdulatipov, the captain of port who is also responsible for the port of Olya told in his interview to IA Port News about the performance of the port in Astrakhan.

This year was significant for companies operating in the customs area not only by a world crisis, but also by a customs brokers market consolidation. Not everybody managed to enter the Register of Customs Brokers in 2009. GC Green Way retained the right to provide services for customs clearance. Andrei Saveliev, CEO of JSC Green Way shared information on achievements of the group of companies in the passing year in the traditional December interview to PortNews.

According to experts in maritime law, amendments in the country’s legislation on the Russian International Ship Register (RISR) do provide benefits and advantages for Russian ship owners. Russian flag can help to cut down expenses on tax payments.

Restoration of the new berth of cargo port in Sochi destroyed on December, 14th is planned for February, 2010. According to IA Port News, such terms were named today during Ministry of Transport Committee Meeting of the Russian Federation which took place at the emergency event site.

Because of the world financial crisis human resources shortage in transport branch is not the burning issue as it used to be before. Nevertheless, the problem how to attract experienced employees to the sea transport sphere can not be solved by itself. It is especially a nagging problem in Russia. Local companies can hardly offer competitive conditions to employees who can easily get the job in foreign companies. Moreover, in the nearest future because of the demographic "hole" Russia may face a severe shortage of inflow of young employees to transport branch.

Vyacheslav Pertsev, CEO of Commercial Port of Vladivostok OJSC (VMTP), spoke in the interview with Portnews IAA on the perspectives of Russian grain export into the countries of Asia-Pacific region and on the readiness of port infrastructure to work with this cargo

The documents on Arkhangelsk port (AMP) boundaries establishment are revised in the RF Government to the date. In addition to that a deep-water harbour is planned to be constructed not far from the operating port in the White Sea water area, Mudjug island, Nikolay Gurinov, Captain of the port, reported in the interview with PortNews IAA, as well as on the results of January-October, 2009 work, and predicted cargo transhipment volumes as of 2009 results and on situation with ecological safety.