VLADIVOSTOK, September 7. /TASS/. Russia’s Federation Customs Service sees the risks of a transport collapse in the port of Vladivostok in September due to excessive container loading, Deputy Head of the Service Vladimir Ivin said at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Wednesday.

"We see risks that last year’s situation with the lack of capacities and ships remaining off the harbor to be unloaded, will not only repeat itself, but considering the trend of redirecting logistics from Central and Western regions, it may lead to a collapse since the capacities of the port sites are finite. As of now two out of five sites where containers are stored, which we use from the viewpoint of export-import flows, are 102-103% full. In literally 2-3 weeks, we will reach critical figures," he explained.

In August, the number of containers the customs service used in the port of Vladivostok reached 39,700, which is higher than that in the busiest month of last year, Ivin added.

"Unfortunately, we see no clear-cut technologies that would help handle this problem, as a systemic issue. Obviously, the city around the port prevents port capacities from expanding. It is necessary to apply dry-port-type technologies to take containers out for registration somewhere outside the port. <…> Unfortunately, the issue cannot be solved simultaneously as it is connected with infrastructure and investments," the official noted.

Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the Seventh Eastern Economic Forum is running from September 5 to September 8 in Vladivostok. TASS is the event’s general information partner and its official photohost agency. This year, the theme of the forum is: "On the Path to a Multipolar World."