This will be the fifth vessel on the route, the Kaliningrad region governor said
A new ferry will join other vessels operating on the St. Petersburg – Kaliningrad region ferry line. The ship will deliver goods not only to Baltiysk, but also to Kaliningrad, Governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov said on his Telegram channel.
The regional authorities have already found a company that is ready to start work from June 25, the official said.
“We already have a company that is ready as from June 25... to dispatch a new ship. This will be the fifth vessel on the line. However, the ferry line will not be from Ust-Luga, but from the Port of Bronka near St. Petersburg, that will be transporting cargo not only to Baltiysk but directly to Kaliningrad, to use capacities of the Port of Kaliningrad, and perhaps, of a fishing port. Over time we will also use it,” Alikhanov said in his video message.
From June 18, the Lithuanian authorities stopped the transit by rail of a number of goods that fell under EU sanctions from the regions of the Russian Federation to the Kaliningrad region. This includes building materials, cement, metals, as well as finished products that were exported from the region, Governor Anton Alikhanov reported on his Telegram channel.
“We believe that this is a gross violation of the EU accession protocols for the Baltic states, this is a violation of the rules of free transit to and from the Kaliningrad region. I'm not talking about the fact that this is a significant humanitarian issue, an attempt to stifle our region economically. We will seek clarification,” Anton Alikhanov concluded.
There are four ferries (Ambal, Baltiysk, Marshal Rokossovsky, and Oboronlogistics owned Ursa Major) ply the Ust-Luga-Baltiysk route. The line operator is Rosmorport. In September 2022, another train ferry, the General Chernyakhovsky, is expected to enter service on the line.