Baltic ports should offer mutually beneficial conditions to Russian businessmen, in order to attract Russian cargoes, and the greater role in this cooperation belongs to rates, Igor Levitin, Transport Minister of the Russian Federation, and Co-Chairman of the Russian-Latvian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Scientific, Technical, Humanitarian and Cultural Cooperation said to BNS.
"Traditionally Latvian ports were used for Russian foreign trade cargo exports. Transit volumes were considerable. But after Latvia was isolated and changed its economic orientation, Russia worked out a program for the development of its own ports, and first of all, on the Baltic coast. Today ports in the former Baltic republics are losing their value for Russian foreign trade," he stated.
So, Russian cargo owners have a choice, therefore Baltic ports have to prove their readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation.
He also noted that a total of 150 million tons of cargo were moved through the Baltic east coast from January to May 2009; and 27 million tons from this amount went through Latvian ports.
"It is a considerable volume keeping in mind that about 90 million tons of cargoes were moved through Russian ports in this period, and simultaneously the Port of Riga increased its cargo turnover a little. Here a greater role belongs to railway tariffs, including the tariffs of Latvian Railways. We believe that Russian-Latvian project agreements in the field of a railway communication, and which are now under consideration, can make the Latvian direction more competitive. I agree that ports need to work more with cargo owners," the Transport Minister said.
He reminded that in 2008 the Latvian railway company “Latvijas Dzelzcels” joined the Tariff Agreement of CIS countries and Estonia Railway Administrations. "I believe it will improve interaction between Russian and Latvian railways,” Igor Levitin said.
He also reminded that in 2009 the 1.1 tariff increase rate for ferrous metal exported on Russian-Latvian routes, which was effective on Russian railways in 2008, was cancelled.
"Traditionally Latvian ports were used for Russian foreign trade cargo exports. Transit volumes were considerable. But after Latvia was isolated and changed its economic orientation, Russia worked out a program for the development of its own ports, and first of all, on the Baltic coast. Today ports in the former Baltic republics are losing their value for Russian foreign trade," he stated.
So, Russian cargo owners have a choice, therefore Baltic ports have to prove their readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation.
He also noted that a total of 150 million tons of cargo were moved through the Baltic east coast from January to May 2009; and 27 million tons from this amount went through Latvian ports.
"It is a considerable volume keeping in mind that about 90 million tons of cargoes were moved through Russian ports in this period, and simultaneously the Port of Riga increased its cargo turnover a little. Here a greater role belongs to railway tariffs, including the tariffs of Latvian Railways. We believe that Russian-Latvian project agreements in the field of a railway communication, and which are now under consideration, can make the Latvian direction more competitive. I agree that ports need to work more with cargo owners," the Transport Minister said.
He reminded that in 2008 the Latvian railway company “Latvijas Dzelzcels” joined the Tariff Agreement of CIS countries and Estonia Railway Administrations. "I believe it will improve interaction between Russian and Latvian railways,” Igor Levitin said.
He also reminded that in 2009 the 1.1 tariff increase rate for ferrous metal exported on Russian-Latvian routes, which was effective on Russian railways in 2008, was cancelled.