Large-scale dredging programme starts at Volga-Caspian seaway canal

Rosmorport’s Astrakhan Branch plans to acquire the third dredger and dredge 4.5 mln cbm of material per year. According to the press center of the Astrakhan Region government, the region Governor Aleksandr Zhilkin learnt about this plan from the Branch head Nikolai Kovalev.

According to Nikolai Kovalev, the Astrakhan Branch permanently implements a package of dredging operations at Russia’s oldest seaway canal and the monitoring of the most vulnerable sections subject to silting. Apart from silting and shallowing of certain sections, the experts are worried with the lowering of the Caspian Sea level (59 centimeters over the past 5 years) which causes certain problems for shipping. Last year, the regional branch of Rosmorport dredged 3.6 mln cbm of material. 

“3.6 mln cbm is not the limit, we can dredge much more. According to our calculations, the dredging volumes should reach 6 mln cbm. To guarantee 4.5-meter draught we have to dredge 6.5 mln cbm. However, today we can reach dredging of 4.5 mln cbm,” Nikolai Kovalev said. With the support of FSUE Rosmorport, the Branch plans purchasing of additional equipment, so called hopper dredger, with a larger capacity as compared with those being used by the Branch.

«Taking into account that the North-South corridor will be one of the key subjects at the coming summit of Caspian states, and that the decision on lifting economic sanctions against Iran is being taken nowadays, we expect boosting cargo flows to Iran. …. The development of the Volga-Caspian seaway canal is of strategic importance today,” the Governor said.

The development of the transport infrastructure and consistent dredging at the Volga-Caspian seaway canal will facilitate implementation of the project on creation of the free economic zone of industry type. “In the future this ground will work for the entire Caspian region and, certainly, boost the capacity and throughput of Astrakhan seaports”, Aleksandr Zhilkin summarized.