Much attention was paid to the ‘eastward turn’ and ‘New Silk Road’ issues at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2015). Meanwhile, draft amendments into the federal special-purpose programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System” give the top priority to domestic transport projects while providing for reduction of ‘silk’ related allocations.

Special industrial and economic zone of Astrakhan, known as ‘Lotus’, is to start functioning by late 2016. The interest to do business there has been expressed by manufacturers of marine facilities, shipbuilding, fish processing and other companies from China, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway, Cyprus, Iran etc. Investors are attracted with unprecedented privileges combined with the possible access to state orders under import replacement programmes.

Russian Arctic holds tremendous hydrocarbon reserves but they have to be discovered. Scientific research of Arctic climate and nature is also required to arrange transit along the Northern Sea Route which is impossible without powerful icebreakers or new research expedition ships able to operate amid insufficient coast infrastructure. Russia has already developed a new generation design of such a vessel.

Following previous attempts to establish special economic zones in Russian ports that showed little success, two draft laws are being designed today under the presidential and governmental instructions: On the Free Port of Vladivostok and On the Free Ports of Russia. One of them is to be applicable within a certain region, the other one is to regulate the functioning of free ports throughout the country.

Russian Ministry of Transport and Federal Fisheries Agency suggest providing vessels flying the flag of Russia or built in Russia with the preferences in access to resource and cargo base. The proposal is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Such measures do not require any extra budget allocations while supporting domestic shipbuilding and contributing to RF flag attractiveness.

Russia is set to build an unrivalled fleet of Arctic class icebreakers: a decision has been made on designing of the Leader Icebreaker with the capacity of up to 130 MW able to break through Arctic ice of any thickness; extension of the series of 60 MW nuclear icebreakers is under discussion. Besides, special port service icebreakers of new generation projects will be built for Arctic terminals of Sabetta and Novy Port.

The accession of Crimea into the Russian Federation has made Kavkaz seaport authorities face new challenges: the port’s cargo and passenger turnover has multiplied. Harbour Master of port Kavkaz Yevgeny Tuzinkevich tells IAA PortNews about the ability of port facilities to cope with the growing load and about novelties introduced into the passenger ferry logistics.

Oil & gas companies enter the ‘final straight’ in implementation of projects on development of Yamal based hydrocarbon fields involving maritime transportation. At the same time, Yamal development is associated with numerous risks including reduction of oil and gas prices, competition in LNG market, dependence on foreign-made equipment and global warming.

Moscow State Academy of Water Transport welcomes a new and young Prorector. In his interview with IAA PortNews, Prorector for Research Oleg Solyakov shares his plans on further development of the Academy.

Last year saw essential changes in the structure of container flows to and from Russia. Imports plunged amid the growth of exports. Nevertheless, experts still hope for the development of transit potential while low containerization offers hope for future market growth.