RF inland water transport carried 151 mln t of cargo in 2008
In 2008, inland water transport of the Rusian Federation carried 151 million tonnes of cargo, which is similar to the result of 2007. Against the positive dynamics of previous years the growth rates slowed mainly in the sector of foreign trade transportation. In 2009, the volume of cargo to be carried by inland water transport of Russia is expected to be the same as in 2008, RF Transport Ministry cites Aleksandr Davydenko, head of RorMorRechFlot (Russia’s Federal Agency of Marine and River Transport), as saying at the Agency’s enlarged meeting.
"Despite a number of external factors like low water level in the eastern river basin and diesel fuel prices growth, delivery of cargo to the Far North grew by 8%, year-on-year, to 25 million tonnes," Davydenko said.
He also noted that last years saw a stable growth of handling operations: from 177 million tonnes in 2003 to 226 million tonnes in 2008. The result of 2008 exceeded that of 2007 by 0.5%. Handling of export-import cargo accounts for some 5% of total volume. River ports focus mainly on handling of dry cargo, the share of which makes 93-95% with the rest 5-7% falling on crude and oil products being handled at specialized terminals.