Victor Olersky: “The priorities are still the same”

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, relevant state enterprises including FSUE Rosmorport whose jurisdiction covers the majority of port infrastructure and the fleet of icebreakers, industry-focused educational institutions, administrations of seaports and IWW basins. Two days after taking his office Victor Olersky answers the questions of IAA PortNews.

- Mr. Olersky, what is your opinion about the changes?

- Apparently, the decision of the Government to integrate the two positions is in line with the task to ensure more efficient development of the industry. It will contribute to optimization of the industry management system, facilitate and streamline implementation of many investment projects, provide for prompt responding to transport industry demands, particularly when it comes to improvement of the current legislation. First of all, I believe, this management format will formalize personal responsibilities at all levels of the maritime and river sector. It is time to apply project-targeted approach to any task, starting from drafting a law and up to the construction of a quay wall. The business community should clearly understand who is responsible for which tasks.

It will take certain time to comprehend the scale of my responsibility. No doubt, there will be much work to do but any job is pleasant provided that the objectives are clear. I think it is true not only for me. The task is to promptly update those objectives, to synchronize watches.

- What are the priorities you set forth for yourself today?

- The priorities are the still same. They include implementation of Russian projects in the Arctic – completion of port Sabetta and development of the Northern Sea Route infrastructure.

In the Azov-Black Sea basin, Russia has to create deepwater terminals. I mean the development of port Novorossiysk facilities and the approaches to the port as well as the development of the port facilities on the Taman peninsula. Port infrastructure of the Far East is under the focus, of course.

As for the development of inland water ways, I would mark that we have entered the active phase of preparation for the State Council of the Russian Federation dedicated to inland water transport issues.  Government Commission has recently approved the Draft Strategy for Inland Water Transport Development till 2030 which we had been elaborating in cooperation with the industry representatives for quite a long period of time. We expect the Decree of RF Government to approve this document in the nearest future. It covers several ambitious infrastructure projects that require a state support. First of all, it is the construction of the Bagayevsky and the Nizhny Novgorod hydrosystems. The deadline for their designing and construction is very tight – till 2019-2020. Otherwise, we will lose river fleet of the Unified Deepwater System. It is not a threat but a mathematically precise forecast.

The list of our priorities still includes the adoption of the Strategy for Seaport Infrastructure Development. We will try to have this document approved by the Government at least in the first half of the year.

Among the first task is, of course, the support of the Russian fleet through all possible mechanisms including regulatory ones, creation of optimal financial instruments, development of inland water transport infrastructure with application of regulatory instruments. The fleet should be renovated, there is no other way.

- Is there any personnel reshuffle supposed for Rosmorrechflot and agencies subordinate to it?

- I have known the key officials in our industry for more than just a year. I can say that we have a highly professional team. But I would emphasize that everybody will have a chance to prove their efficiency.  One should be close to the people, I would say.

Interviewed by Nadezhda Malysheva.