Coronaviral infection exerts a significant impact on cargo traffic, ports and shipping. The problem has touched the container flow from China and LNG transportation. Not only do stevedoring and shipping companies face difficulties, it is also a tough time for forwarders who run the risk of “holding the bag” due to delayed deliveries.

Despite general decrease of Russian cargo transshipment via the ports of the Baltic states and Finland, turnover of domestically produced mineral fertilizers grew in 2019 driven by their handling in Sillamae and Kotka. The situation can be reversed through liberalization of Russian laws and phasing out of agricultural imports.

According to Marine Rescue Service, over 100 offshore oil spills were registered in 2019. Rosprirodnadzor attributes them to insufficient equipment of emergency response teams and violation of bunkering regulations. Meanwhile, Rosmorrechflot announced earlier approved OSR Plans to be invalid over which Rosmorrechbunker applied to the Prosecutor's Office.

Baltic cruise companies are responding to new trends and developing new routes while building ships powered by alternative fuels. Tallink is set to arrange annual calls to Saint-Petersburg, Viking – polar voyages and ecotourism.

With the global upper limit on the sulphur content of ships' fuel oil reduced to 0.50% from 1 January under new IMO regulation, the bunkering market structure has definitely changed. Despite the toughened environmental requirements, the shipping industry has not faced insurmountable difficulties so far, operation of Russian ports is normal.

Sergey Gaidayev, head of Azov-Don Basin Administration, tells IAA PortNws about the 2019 navigation results and the progress of the Bagayevsky hydrosystem project implementation.

Krylov State Research Center is one of Russia's leading research and design organizations featuring unique competences. Aleksandr Chemodanov, Deputy Head of the Civil Ship System’s Integration Division, KSRC, tells IAA PortNews about some civil projects under development in the Center.

In his interview with IAA PortNews, Maxim Kulinko, Deputy Head of the Northern Sea Route Directorate – Head of Rosatom’s Department for Development of NSR and Costal Territories, tells about the newly approved Northern Sea Route Infrastructure Development Plan, Arctic logistics, dredging and prospects of alternative fuels in the Arctic.

The global market situation, policy of sanctions, trade wars and technological development make long-term forecasts on cargo flows less accurate while infrastructure projects are highly time-intensive. That necessitates a more elaborate study on financial feasibility of investments and synchronization with railway infrastructure development plans.

While European countries announce their plans to reject coal energy generation, the demand for this fuel is growing in Asia. However, too slow modernization of the eastern railways and absence of a long-term concept of the railway rates policy create risks for coal exports. It is internal logistics that matters rather than closeness to sale markets.