PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, February 16. /TASS/. Residents of the Kamchatka free port and the territory of advance development by 2021 will build in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky a modern seaport-hub, which will satisfy all requirements for having the Northern Sea Route cross the territory’s Director of the Corporation for Development of Kamchatka Nikolai Pegin said in an interview with TASS on Thursday.
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"One of those projects is construction of a big logistics center in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by the Seroglazka Terminal Company [part of Norebo Holding], which this year has received the status of resident at the Free Port of Vladivostok," he said. "Another project, which this year has become a resident at the Kamchatka advance development territory, is implemented by the Free Port of Kamchatka."
"The Seroglazka Terminal Company in several stages to 2021 will organize in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky a modern refrigerator complex, build piers infrastructures, repairing shops for the fishing fleet and a warehouse complex," he continued, adding, "the total amount of investments is about 1.6 billion rubles [about $28 million]."
"The project is being implemented now, it focuses on development of cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route," the source continued. "This year already, the initiators plan the first vessel carrying Kamchatka’s fish will go along the Northern Sea Route."
The Free Port of Kamchatka Company plans to organize in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky by 2021 a modern transit cargo hub to process, receive and transport cargoes from Kamchatka bound for other Russian regions, South-Eastern Asia, and Europe along the Northern Sea Route. The refrigerator terminal, the terminal for dry and general cargo, a passenger terminal for sea tourism in the Avacha Bay - will be built afresh. The terminals’ throughput will make 1.2 million tons a year, and the investments in construction are expected at about 4 billion rubles (about $70 million). With implementation of those projects, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky will become a basic seaport-hub on the Northern Sea Route, the director said.
"Implementation of these initiatives will integrate direct routes of cargo supplies between seaports of the Asia-Pacific Region, Europe, North America by the Arctic transport line using the Northern Sea Route; and on this route Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky has all chances to become a basic seaport-hub on the Northern Sea Route," he said in conclusion.
The Northern Sea Route is the main sea route in the Russian Arctic. The Russian Ministry of Transport forecasts cargo turnover along the Northern Sea Route by 2020 will grow tenfold to 65 million tons per year. The route crosses seas of the Arctic Ocean (Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukotka) and partially the Pacific Ocean (the Bering Sea). The Northern Sea Route from the Kara Gate to the Providence Bay is about 5,600 km long. The distance between Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok along the Northern Sea Route is more than 14,000 km, while the distance vessels cover by the Suez Canal is more than 23,000 km.