Full-scale import substitution in the segment of equipment for fishing ships hindered by domination of foreign designs and deficit of information.

Marine Rescue Service considers it reasonable to establish in Russia a single operator of marine rescue fleet including rescue ships of Rosrybolovstvo (Russian Federal Fisheries Agency) and some ships of the Emergency Situations Ministry. MRS believes that will let reduce the costs and enhance flexibility of rescue operations. Rosrybolovstvo does not support the idea.

The work on RF Government Decree No 719 on import substitution in shipbuilding is underway for the fourth year. However, shipbuilders, ship owners and equipment suppliers have not yet decided if it gives an impetus to Russian industry or presents an extra barrier for fleet development.

Cargo traffic between Big Port St. Petersburg and Port of Hamburg to grow by 15% in 2019. In his interview with IAA PortNews, Lutz Birke, Chief of Office, Harbour & Innovation, Ministry for Economy, Traffic and Innovation, tells about the search for new logistic schemes including NSR transportation, development of bunkering infrastructure for sustainable fuel, the Elbe river dredging, development prospects and plans on reduction of hazardous emissions from ships.

In a recent interview with IAA PortNews Şadan Kaptanoğlu, managing director of HI Kaptanoglu Shipping and President of BIMCO told about activities of BIMCO, the leading global shipping association.

As it is known, personnel is key. In his interview with IAA PortNews, Director of Sinilga crewing agency Sergey Nikitin tells about training of Russian seafarers, their wages, reliable and non-reliable employers, bureaucratic and legal aspects of crewing as well as activities of related trade unions.

RF Ministry of Industry and Trade says construction of over thirty fishing ships has been contracted in Russia with more than 120 ships to be built by 2025. They will replace half of the fleet in this segment.

Support fleet in Russia still consists, to a great extent, of obsolete ‘soviet’ series vessels. There is a great demand for tugboats, bunkering ships, icebreakers. Also, classification of vessels is to be revised. Leading international manufacturers are ready to assist in construction of required ships.

Global climate changes, tougher environmental requirements in the shipping industry, emerging-market economic development and growing urbanization present new challenges for the transport industry of the future and today. ABB, leading supplier of maritime equipment, told IAA PortNews about the latest energy-efficient technologies and projects featuring conscious attitude to environment.

The Kaliningrad Region is long on plans to accumulate container flows at its terminals. Two alternative projects are under consideration today: construction of a deep-water terminal and dredging of a seaway canal. The negotiations to resume a ferry link with Sassnitz are also underway. Experts are skeptical about those plans.