Construction of coal transshipment facility Lavna, a project of State Transport Leasing Company (STLC), has begun at the port of Murmansk. As STLC told IAA PortNews, the ceremony of laying a foundation capsule at the construction site marking the beginning of the project implementation was attended by RF Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, Deputy Transport Minister – head of Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot) Victor Olersky, Murmansk Region Governor Marina Kovtun, STLC Director General Sergey Khramagin.
The project is a part of comprehensive development of Murmansk Transport Hub (MTH) being implemented under the Federal Targeted Programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System”. Ice-free port with coal transshipment terminal, Lavna, is among the key facilities of the MTH project. The terminal will be built through private-public partnership with Commercial Sea Port “Lavna” LLC as an investor and STLC as a beneficiary.
The project foresees the development of seaborne and railway transport infrastructure, logistic infrastructure and warehouses on the western shore of the Kola Bay.
The federal budget will finance the activities of the first phase: development of the existing railway infrastructure on the eastern shore and creation of new infrastructure facilities on the western shore of the Kola Bay.
Private investments of RUB 25 billion will finance the construction of a dedicated coal terminal Lavna will annual capacity of 18 million tonnes and a non-public railway line from the Lavna station to the coal transshipment facility.
As Victor Olersky, Deputy Transport Minister of Russia – head of Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot), said at the final meeting of Rosmorrechflot’s Board and Public Council, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation plans submission of proposals on Lavna project (Murmansk Region) to RF Government in April 2018.
According to him, the work on balancing the risks of concessionaire and grantor is nearing completion.
At the Congress of Transport Workers of Russia, Sergey Khramagin, Director General of State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) told Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Lavna project and emphasized that a globally renowned raw commodity trader Mercuria is involved in the project as an anchor investor. According to STLC Director General, the project is of strategic importance for coal exports and for taking over cargo flows from the ports of Baltic States.
“An agreement on cooperation was signed at Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) and later we signed а take-or-pay agreement for 18 million tonnes of coal per year”, added the head of State Transport Leasing Company. He also reminded that the company’s had submitted to RF Government a private concession initiative to implement the project within the established deadline (according to the presidential instructions).
In June 2017, State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) and MERCURIA Energy Trading S.A. signed an agreement on cooperation under the project on construction of coal terminal ‘Lavna’ in the Murmansk Region.
Coal transshipment facility Lavna is located in the Murmansk Region (Mezzhdurechye settlement in the Kola Bay). Its deepwater ice-free water area protected from waves is able to accommodate dry bulk vessels of more than 150,000 DWT.
The State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) is Russia’s largest player in the lease market. It leases out aircraft, vessels, rail transport, road vehicles and special equipment to domestic transport enterprises and invests in the development of Russia's transport infrastructure. The company's sole shareholder is the Russian Federation represented by the Ministry of Transport. GTLK holds double-B ratings from the world’s three leading international rating agencies and an A+(RU) national rating from ACRA. As at 30 September 2017, GTLK's IFRS assets exceeded RUB 291 billion.
Related links:
RF Transport Ministry’s proposals on Lavna project (Murmansk Region) to be submitted to RF Government in April 2018 >>>>
Vladimir Putin told about implementation of Lavna project (photo) >>>>
MERCURIA Group to become a majority stakeholder of Port Lavna investment project - Victor Olersky >>>>
STLC and MERCURIA sign agreement under project on construction of coal terminal ‘Lavna’ (photo) >>>>