In the four-month period of 2017, throughput of Russian seaports grew by more than 10%, which exceeds the average growth of recent years. Key drivers of that growth are coal, grain and crude oil from the Novoportovskoye field, despite the OPEC oil production cut agreement.

Reports on operation of Russian ports and cargo handling have recently settled among the most important news of the business industry. Sea terminals bring a significant share of income to coastal regions. No wonder that privatization of the two ports - Novorossiysk and Makhachkala – have excited the public so much. Although some authorities call on to release stevedores from excessive state regulation, others, namely the Federal Antimonopoly Service, resist this in every possible way, and the reasons for this are not entirely unclear to the market.

The development of Petrolesport container terminal has been given a status of a strategic project by Saint-Petersburg Administration. However, amid the excessive container facilities the capacity of which is twice as high as even the long-term requirements, this project does not seem to be economically expedient. It is quite possible that the project is focused on the sale of land though Global Ports does not confirm that.

Sergei Safonichev, head of FSBI Azov Sea Ports Administration, tells IAA PortNews about the winter navigation season and current plans of ASPA.

Eternal problem of Russian economy is the inaccessibility of "long" and cheap money, which has the highest impact on industries with long payback periods. Shipbuilding is among them. Starting from 2009, the problem has been handled through subsidies provided to cover the leasing interest rates, budget financing of manufacturers and leasing companies with preferential interest. Now the discussion has unfolded around an even larger leasing program.

SCF Group, in partnership with Shell, initiated the transfer of an entire segment of tanker market to more efficient, "green" technologies. In June 2018, SCF will start operating Aframax tankers powered by LNG. Experts agree that this decision opens a new phase in the development of maritime fleet.

State expert evaluation authority Glavgosexpertiza has approved the project on reconstruction of the commercial seaport of Yevpatoria for RUB 525 mln. IAA PortNews finds out that it will cover only part of the port’s demands...

The only “window to the world” for Magadan is the seaport, the functioning of which is crucial for the entire area. Transport isolation of the region plays into the hands of large companies seeking to monopolize the market while smaller transport and logistics businesses complain over being squeezed out of the market under far-fetched pretexts. The situation with transshipment of petroleum products in the local port is a textbook example of the competition environment in remote ports.

Fresh news from the port of Nakhodka. More coal is coming. No dust decrease. Stevedores are hiding behind promises. Coal terminal sealed by Rosprirodnadzor is operating at its full capacity. The authorities of different levels make courtesy visits to the black area. Tension is growing in the society. Andrei Karpov, Chairman, Board of the regional branch of the Green Party of Russia, tells about the current situation and options to settle the conflict.

Chaika terminal with annual capacity of over 10 mln t of coal is to be built on the Taimyr peninsula. Project investor VostokCoal (VostokUgol Management Company) tells IAA PortNews about the implementation progress.