ASTRAKHAN, April 15. /TASS/. Development of the Trans-Caspian route of the North-South international transport corridor is a strategic task for Russia, presidential aide and chairman of the Marine Board Nikolay Patrushev said at the meeting on development of marine and transport infrastructure in support of the North-South international transport corridor.

"The strategic task is to develop the Trans-Caspian route of the North - South International Transport Corridor, over which foreign trade and transit goods are carried via seaports of the Caspian Sea (Astrakhan, Olya and Makhachkala) and river ports of the European Russia to countries of the Caspian Basin," Patrushev noted.

Infrastructure upgrading, berth facilities’ revamping and logistical infrastructure developing continues in these Russian ports, the presidential aide said.

"The port of Makhachkala demonstrates stable growth of cargo transshipment, with the cargo turnover increased to 3.5 mln metric tons as of the last year-end," Patrushev added.