Norilsk Nickel GMK plans to complete construction of the first stage of terminal in Murmansk port by 2012. The terminal is designed for transhipment of metal delivered by the company from Dudinka and of commercial cargoes from Europe. The assumed terminal capacity is 1.5 mln tons of metal annually. The company predicts most part of the cargo will be transhipped in containers. The project cost amount to RUR1.3 bln.

The state is planning to sell its 20% share stake of Novorossiysk Commercial Seaport OJSC in 2010. As per the experts opinion there is an opportunity to procure shares of the stevedoring company with a significant discount to the date. At the same time companies-cargo owners and traders are hardly interested in the fact. As of experts’ estimations, commercial value of each stake may be $900 mln.

Railcar (loaded with coal and ferrous-metals) jams forgotten for a period of economic recession have occurred at railway approaches to a number of ports. Railroadmen accuse stevedoring companies of railcars demurrage. Nevertheless, as per experts opinion, growth of coal transhipment volumes as well as freight rate increase are explained by a resumed demand for coal on the part of China which actually may go down again due to the reserves collected in the country.

As it was expected, the year 2009 with its economic recession has changed port branch of St.-Petersburg and North-West. The changes are noticed both in the transshipment flow and scheme and in performance of declared investment projects. At the same time the port boundaries have been officially established during the passing year. Besides this year was marked for reorganization of Finnish basin seaports that came under control of common administration. Ecological issues and development of border checkpoints were also highly addressed . Mr. Parinov, port Captain, tells in the interview to “Port News” about the Big St. Petesburg Port operations.

It was not long ago that Sergei Aristov, Deputy Minister of Transport of RF, stated in the interview with PortNews IAA that the ministry offered stevedoring companies of currently operating port of Kaliningrad to move their capacities to the Balga Peninsular in Kaliningrad region, where construction of a new deep-water port is planned. As PortNews IAA learnt from port’s largest stevedoring companies, they have not yet expressed great interest to such a perspective. Nevertheless, it is possible that some of them move under definite conditions, experts highlighted.

Economic recession did not for a long time weaken interest towards projects on construction of rolling cargo marine terminals. Starting autumn, 2009 information on opening of new routes of foreign cars delivery to the Russian market appeared. Konstantin Skovoroda, CEO of Russian Transportation Lines (RTL) group of companies, provided its estimation of local Ro-Ro terminals development perspectives in interview with PortNews IAA.

I International Economic Forum took place in Murmansk last week. PortNews IAA learnt from Alexandr Davydenko, Head of Federal Marine and River Transport Agency, in the a number of issues course of forum: on the development of North ports of Russia, what will be Murmansk port like, on the change of port charges, and whether FGUP Rosmorport will be reincorporated as a joint-stock company.

Lack of qualified specialists in the sphere of marine transport is still a relevant problem irrespective of the recession and reduction of staff in numerous companies. Development of intermediate vocational education would be able to help solve the problem. As per the experts’ opinion, maritime colleges and technical schools graduates are demanded more than those of higher educations. Besides higher percentage of them stay s in their profession. Nevertheless, the number of graduates of institutions of intermediate vocational education is several times less than that of higher education institutions.

Ust-Luga Company JSC (Leningrad region) counts on inclusion of complex investment project of Ust-Luga commercial seaport development (the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea) into the list of investment projects claiming to obtain Federal Budget support guarantees in 2009 or 2010. The bonds are expected to be emitted to the open market. As per the experts opinion, an annual interest of 7-9% will be an acceptable return level on the bonds for investors under the current market conditions.

Seaport of Kaliningrad was affected by the world economic recession most of all. Overall cargo turnover of stevedoring companies decreased by 20.5% (to 9 million 335 thousand tons) in January-September 2009 as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. To manage the situation the anclave port has to attract a part of cargo flow from the Baltics. But state support is required for the undertaking especially railway rates reduction.