The Volga-Baltic transit canal will be open from midnight April 30 for navigation, PortNews IAA reports quoting Vladimir Nikolayev, Chief of Volga-Baltic State River Basin Department (SBD). This year inland waterways navigation timetable had been approved by the Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport of the Russian Ministry of Transport. Mr. Nikolayev added there might be some temporary difficulties in transits on Lake Onega and White Lake routes associated with weather conditions.
Mr. Nikolayev reminded that freight traffic on the Neva River had started on April 26, on the Svir River April 27, and a day later - on the Sheksna River. On April 30 SBD is to begin the lockage.
Volga-Baltic is one of the most important waterways, part of the unified system of deep inland waterways of the European part of Russia. This is a complex of water engineering facilities, including 4,900-km operated waterways, including 3,270 km with guaranteed dimensions, 11 locks with a pressure ranging from 11 to 18 meters, three hydroelectric plants, 25 dams and levees, 12 ferries lines, 9 bridges, 8 lighthouses on Ladoga Lake, over 5,000 of waterway signs, 273 units of service fleet. The volume of traffic flows via the Volga-Baltic Canal in 2009 dropped by 8% from 2008, to 16.7 million tons of cargoes (timber, construction materials, chemicals, metals, petroleum products, fluxes, etc.).
Mr. Nikolayev reminded that freight traffic on the Neva River had started on April 26, on the Svir River April 27, and a day later - on the Sheksna River. On April 30 SBD is to begin the lockage.
Volga-Baltic is one of the most important waterways, part of the unified system of deep inland waterways of the European part of Russia. This is a complex of water engineering facilities, including 4,900-km operated waterways, including 3,270 km with guaranteed dimensions, 11 locks with a pressure ranging from 11 to 18 meters, three hydroelectric plants, 25 dams and levees, 12 ferries lines, 9 bridges, 8 lighthouses on Ladoga Lake, over 5,000 of waterway signs, 273 units of service fleet. The volume of traffic flows via the Volga-Baltic Canal in 2009 dropped by 8% from 2008, to 16.7 million tons of cargoes (timber, construction materials, chemicals, metals, petroleum products, fluxes, etc.).