Water transport enters “NEVA”
The 10th international exhibition and conference for shipping, shipbuilding, ports and offshore energy exploration NEVA-2009 has started operation in St. Petersburg. Over 600 companies from 37 countries participate in the event despite the global crisis.
The very first day of the exhibition proved the event is to be considered as a success. Exhibition area (over 21,700 sq.m.) is occupied not only by Russian but also large international companies, negotiations are in progress, urgent problems of maritime and related industries are under discussion.
An optimistic tone was set by representatives of Russian state authorities. When delivering his opening speech RF Transport Minister Igor Levitin noted positive dynamics of the ports’ throughput in the country. He also confirmed that large port projects – oil terminal in Ust-Luga port (Leningrad region) and Oil port Kozmino (Primorski Territory) invested by Transneft will be put into operation by the end of the year.
St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko also told the participants and the guests of the exhibition of the city’s success in maritime activities. Among the largest Petersburg projects she named maritime passenger port Marine Façade, which has commenced active operation this year.
It is not a secret that the future of Russia’s water transport and related industries depends to a great extent on the efficient of the North development. The first day of the exhibition was marked by a conference dedicated to Arctic development. Vladimir Shtrambrand, head of RosMorPort FSUE department on fleet construction and repair told the conference participants about the plans to start construction of three 25-MWt diesel electric icebreakers of the new generation. The series is to be completed in 2015. The competition has already been announced and the bids are to be opened in October of the current year. New multifunctional icebreakers will be fitted with oil spill response and emergency rescue equipment, diving system, two helicopter decks and maneuvering device. Those highly-automated vessels will make it possible to reduce a crew by half. They will be able to break (with a continuous run) 2-meter thick ice in winter and 3-metr thick ice in spring-and-summer period. The icebreakers are to be deployed for shelf development, at the Northern route and for other purposes.
During the opening ceremony, the prospects of Russian shipbuilding were covered by Vladimir Pakhomov, head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK). According to him, OSK considers it to be important to cooperate with foreign partners to enable Russian shipbuilders apply advanced technologies. The Corporation intends to sign a number of agreements with foreign companies at the exhibition.
It should be noted that the second day of the exhibition is to be dedicated to shipbuilding – the problems and prospects of the industry are to be discussed within the framework of a conference “Prospects of Russian Commercial Shipbuilding Development”. Within the Conference framework a Round Table meeting is to be held on September 23 with participation of Russian and European shipbuilders involving also CESA (Community of European Shipyards Associations).
To assess the impact of the global economic recession on water transport and port activities it is necessary to conduct a fair and open dialogue between the authorities, business and scientific community. In particular, such a dialogue is to be held on September 24 in Lenexpo at the Conference "Beyond the crisis outline. New routes of water transport development" arranged by PortNews IAA, media partner of the exhibition with the support of the National Policy Commission of the Federation Council, RF Transport Ministry and Association of Sea Commercial Ports. The program and participation terms see at the website of PortNews IAA .
Final results of the exhibition will be measured in the number and quality of contracts signed within the exhibition framework. PortNews IAA in its turn will cover all the significant event of the exhibition.
Vitaly Chernov