Russia will need 400 dry cargo ships and tankers for its transport independence - Rosmorrechflot

This includes about 30-35 container ships with a capacity of 2 500-3 000 TEUs each

Taking into account the existing volume of foreign trade flows, Russia needs a fleet of 400 dry cargo ships and tankers to be independent from foreign carriers, an official said in an interview with RBC.

Zakhary Dzhioev, head of Rosmorrechflot told that based on the cargo structure, this amount is distributed approximately equally among dry cargo ships and tankers. He added that this number includes container ships as well, in a range of 30 to 35 container ships with a capacity of 2 500-3 000 TEUs each.

400 vessels is the number of fleet that will ensure that Russia will achieve a “certain independence” in the future, the export and import traffic of goods, Zakhary Dzhioev said. Exporters who are engaged in dry cargo shipments (grain, fertilizers) also give approximately the same estimates. The numbers may be adjusted due to changes in logistics under the influence of Western sanctions. “The so-called transport legs are increasing, there is more cargo volume with Asian countries. This will lead to an increase in the number of the required fleet”, Mr. Dzhioev explained.

He found it difficult to estimate the cost of such a fleet, noting that some companies say that now there is no need to build new ships, they can buy second-hand vessels.

Vitaly Chernov, head of the Analytics Department, IAA PortNews, believes that the estimate (400 units) looks quite realistic. Russia is in dire need of small and medium-sized container ships with a capacity of up to 6000 – 7000 TEUs, Handysize and Panamax bulk carriers, tankers (Aframax, gas carriers) and vessels of mixed river-sea class.