The feature of Russia’s port industry is that the majority of the country's ports are freezing ones. This makes the maintenance of a considerable icebreaking fleet an urgent necessity. State-owned company Rosmorport, which is in charge of safe operation of all Russian ports, has consolidated a fleet of diesel-electric icebreakers. These are the vessels that ensure smooth shipping in Russian harbours during winters. The information about their work was presented at the international exhibition “CITL – logistic solutions” in Paris.

IAA PortNews publishes the article of Konstantin Palnikov, Director of the Department of State Policy for Marine and River Transport, dedicated to safety aspects of artificial islands, installations and structures on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.

Russia is on a path of improvements of its national legislation on sea ports aimed to increase the investment attractiveness of the Russian market of stevedoring services.

After a sharp fall of the global freight market in almost all shipping segments in 2008-2009, it never really recovered having continued fluctuating at decade-old levels. No signs of stable market recovery are seen yet. Moreover, the situation is aggravated with high fuel prices and introduction of stricter environmental requirements. All that can, however, mark the beginning of a new era in global shipping.

Introduction of restrictions on sulphur content in ship fuel effective form 2015 may lead to an adverse impact not only on shipping and port industries but on ecology as well. Meanwhile, the strivings to accelerate their introduction also reveal financial interests of some EC members.

Summa Group is giving ground in its rivalry with Transneft and RZD (Russian Railways). First company has succeeded in replacing Chairman of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port Board, and the second – has won in the Arbitration Court of Appeal a dispute with the regional antitrust regulators on the construction of the railway link to Ermilovo in the Leningrad region. Meanwhile, NCSP has announced new stevedoring projects, some of them with weak outlook.

The problem of non-payments by customers is becoming more and more important for the Russian river shipping companies, receiving revenues only during the short shipping season. In a recent interview with PortNews Evgeny Kormyshov General Director of LLC MezhRegionFlot (MC of Ob-Irtysh River Shipping) shared his story and experience in dealing with dishonest clients.

One of the world’s strongest unions of the bunkering market players is the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA). The Association comprises over 600 ship owners, bunker fuel suppliers, brokers, barging and other service companies from 66 countries. Mr. Nigel Draffin, Chairman of the Association, combining this post with the duties of a Technical Director of LQM Petroleum Services, answered the questions of PortNews IAA about the sector development and the challenges of the Association.

Anatoli Druzhinin, Director General of Bunker Company CJSC, tells about specific operation at the ports of Arkhangelsk, Kandalaksha and Onega, at the Northern Dvina river and the Solovetsky Islands...

Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) and Russian River Register (RRR) have held a joint seminar “New requirements of RF legislation to small-size vessels, their classification and registration”.