In 2023, FSUE Rosmorport will launch the most large-scale dredging works in the history of the Volga-Caspian Shipping Canal (VCSC). About 12 million cubic meters of material is to be dredged to significantly increase the cargo flow via the ports of the region, said Ilya Volynsky, Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy of the Astrakhan Region. According to him, it is expected that dredging equipment will be deployed on the canal by the end of March, says the press center of the Astrakhan Region Government.
The works are to begin after the end of the ice season. Barrage dams are being built in the canal. The canal is to be reconstructed by 2027, its efficiency and throughput is to be increased.
In 2022, Rosmorport dredged over 5 million cbm of material thus ensuring the depth of 4.2 meters.
Astrakhan Region Governer Igor Babushkin earlier asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to give instructions to the Ministry of Transport intensify the work on ensuring the canal depth of 4.5 meters. Such instructions were given in December.
The ports of Astrakhan and Olya handled about 3 million tonnes of cargo in 2022, an increase of 14.5%, year-on-year. They managed to keep the trend in January. A modern container terminal is planned for launching next year. With its capacity of 3.3 million tonnes it will ensure further increase of the ports’ throughput.
Volga-Caspian Shipping Canal is the most important component of infrastructure on the Trans-Caspian route and the North-South international transport corridor. It is Russia’s longest artificial canal (188 km).