Throughput of Russian ports in the first half of 2018 grew by 2.7% but its growth rates have slowed as compared with the previous years. The growth was primarily driven by dry cargo that confirms the necessity to continue the development of related facilities.

New offshore transshipment equipment has been put into operation at the port of Shakhtersk for handling of Panamax and Capesize ships. That will let increase coal transshipment almost two-fold. Andrey Mekhanikov, Vice-President, Stevedoring and Shipping, East Mining Company Limited, tells IAA PortNews about this project.

Large scale upgrading of Russia’s fishing fleet needs new approaches, new rules and new technologies. Fishing ships of new design are more efficient and sophisticated which calls for modernization of classification rules.

Many recurrent problems in the segment of Russia’s water transport has started being successfully handled in the recent years but the industry faces more and more new challenges. Among the issues of today’s agenda is the surge of bunker fuel prices and absence of balance between different types of transport.

Russian market of bunkering services does not stand still: its structure is changing both in terms of bunker volumes sold in different basins and in terms of fuel types. The short term agenda is the following: upgrading of the bunkering fleet and creation of infrastructure for LNG bunkering.

Hydrographic Company celebrated 85th anniversary on June 25. During this period of time soviet and Russian hydrographers have performed a unique work ensuring safe navigation in the Arctic waters. The merger of Hydrographic Company with the Northern Sea Route Administration will let establish a unified coordinator of shipping in the Arctic with a comprehensive range of tools needed for safe navigation.

Mr. Victor Olersky resignation from the office of Deputy Minister of Transport, head of Rosmorrechflot was accepted by the Russian Government as of June 21, 2018. Overall, those nine years that Victor Olersky was at the helm of the Transportation Ministry and two and a half years as the head of Rosmorrechflot have been fruitful in terms of considerable number of adopted regulations and tangible results for the sector: the fleet under the Russian flag has become significantly younger, the safety of navigation has improved, new port expansion projects have been implemented, shipping on the Northern Sea Route has recovered, the maritime training system has been reformed, and Russia’s position has gained traction in the discussions within the IMO.

Russia is in great need for fleet renovation, from nuclear-powered icebreakers to river ships. Newbuilding orders are being placed numerously due to state support measures but private shipyard tend to be driven out of the market.

Russia’s fishery segment embarks on large scale fleet renovation. German Zverev, President of the All-Russian Association of Fishing Industry, Businessmen and Exporters, tells IAA PortNews about this process and challenges thereof.

Russia’s backlog of orders for construction of fishing ships at domestic shipyards is a breakthrough over the recent 20 years. Local content of materials is as high as 90% while a big job is to be done in the segment of equipment so that it was replaced with products of Russian origin.