Cargo turnover of Russia’s seaports up 3.3% in 2006 – head of Rosmorrechflot
In 2006, cargo turnover of Russia’s seaports grew by 3.3% to 421 million tons, PRIME-TASS reports with reference Alexander Davydenko, head of Russia’s Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot). “Today Russian ports handle 3.5 times more cargo compared to the level of 1990-ies,” Davydenko says. “In 2007 it is planned to achieve the level of 440 million tons, which exceeds record volume of all USSR ports at the end of 1980-ies. If export continues to grow and prices are favorable, cargo transshipment in seaports of Russia will reach 540 million tons by 2010”. Major types of cargo being handled in the ports of Russian Federation are coal – 43.9 million tons, metal – 27.8 million tons, timber – 15.3 million tons, mineral fertilizers – 11.6 million tons and containerized cargo – 8.2 million tons. According to Davydenko, volume of foreign trade cargo handled in the ports of Russia, Baltic countries and Ukraine grew by 17.8 million tons in 2006 to 499.7 million tons. In 2007, Russian Government is to invest RUR 5 billion into maintenance and development of water transport (+42% against allocations of the previous year.
