SCSC: Simplifying passage of Azerbaijani ships via Russia's waters is beneficial for all

The question of passage of cargo ships via waterways of Russia, particularly via the Volga-Don Canal assumes great importance for Azerbaijan, the head of press service of the Azerbaijan State Caspian Shipping Company (SCSC) Vugar Sadikhov said at a roundtable organized as part of the 2nd Russian-Azerbaijani inter-regional forum. The forum was held in Astrakhan on May 18-19.

He said since 1996, these passages are carried out in a very limited number after long agreements, delays lasting up to three or four months.

"This greatly complicates the mutually beneficial cooperation between us. So, today permission is granted to 14 of our ships only once - there and back, and we pay $500,000 to $600,000 to the Russian side for this per year. If these 14 ships would be entitled to free passage through the channel during the navigation, then for eight months, we would pay about $2.2 million. And if the permission would be given to the ship of "Kishinev" type, then this amount would be increased by one and a half million and amount to $3.7 million," said Sadikhov.

He said it would be advisable to simplify the regime of passage of the Azerbaijani cargo ships via the Volga-Don canal, for example, after notification by the administration of the channel or Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport. Another issue relates to permission for the passage of "Kishinev" ships, which really would increase cooperation between the countries.

He said the SCSC considers very small the volume of transportation by its ships last year at around 13 million tons. Over last years, the volume of cargo transported by SCSC ships from the Russian Federation to the Iranian port and other ports of the Caspian states was about 150,000 tons per year. Transportation of cargo was carried out also from Astrakhan to Baku. In order to increase the cargo from the Russian ports, Caspian Shipping Company takes all measures to closely cooperate with Russian companies, shippers.

"Another factor hampering the expansion of mutually cooperation is that the ships under Azerbaijani flag are not serviced in moorings of the Astrakhan port. Only dry cargo ships are serviceable in Olya port. Such situation is explained via lack of customs and border posts for ships under foreign flags. Thus, our dry cargo ships and tankers are artificially debarred from process of transportations from Astrakhan port," said Sadikhov.

Sadikhov said the solution of issues for the effective functioning of these transport corridors requires the complex approach by all sides involved in the single transport-technological process.

Transport fleet of the Azerbaijan State Caspian Sea Shipping Company consists of 80 ships, with 43 tankers, 26 - dry cargo ships, 7 - sea railway cargo ferries, 4 - ships Ro-Ro.

Carrying capacity of the tanker fleet is 20 million tons, dry cargo fleet - 1.5 million tons, ferries - 97,000 carriers per year.


/Trend/