RF Transport Minister and Murmansk Governor launch implementation of MTH project

Maxim Sokolov, Transport Minister of the Russian Federation, and Marina Kovtun, Acting Governor of the Murmansk Region, have kicked off the first phase of the project on comprehensive development of Murmansk Transportation Hub (MTH), PR Department of Murmansk Government says. They have officially announced the start of the construction of federally owned facilities within the framework of MTH project: railway line Vykhodnoy-Lavna line (via Tuloma bridge and Murmashy-2 station). The line is 46 kilometers long.

The meeting in Murmansk dedicated to MTH project implementation involved the customer, contractor and Murmansk Region Government as well as other stakeholders who discussed the significance of the project and practical aspects of its implementation. They also clarified some project solutions.

Maxim Sokolov noted that the development of the port’s competitive advantages will ensure maximum implementation of Russia’s transit potential which is to have a multiplicative effect for the Murmansk Arctic regions.

Murmansk Governor Marina Kovtun told about the project’s significance for the Arctic development and about its compliance with the plans of oil and gas majors, Rosneft and Gazprom.

Marina Kovtun says Murmansk Region Government will strive to make the project a success through integration of all participants’ interests and assistance in handling administrative issues.

“This project is a guarantee of further development of the Kola area. We are building a road to our future, our Arctic way, rather than just a railway to the west coast”, the Governor said.

The project on comprehensive development of Murmansk Transportation Hub is being implemented under the Federal special-purpose programme “Development of Russia’s Transport System”. The project is to be financed by both the federal budget and private investors. According to the Strategy for the development of Russia’s transport system through 2030 which has been recently adopted by RF Government, Murmansk Transportation Hub is to handle some 70 mln t of cargo, more than one tenth of cargo handled by Russian seaports today, says RF Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov.