Russia to upgrade transport corridor

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, APRIL 25. The Russian Government is taking steps to increase the throughput capacity of the north-south transport corridor which offers a shorter and cheaper trade route for Indian goods to Europe.

Russia's Prime Minister, Mr. Mikhail Kasyanov, has called for the expansion of cargo-handling facilities on the Caspian Sea ports and increasing the number of ferry boats hauling goods between Russian and Iranian ports. He chaired a meeting of transport officials and businessmen in the Caspian Sea port of Astrakhan this week to discuss ways of increasing traffic along the north- south transport link.

The sea-and-land corridor cuts the delivery time of containerized and bulk cargo from India to Russia by 10 to 15 days and saves about 30 per cent in shipping costs, compared to the current sea route round Europe. Goods from Cochin and Mumbai are first shipped to Bandar Abbas in Iran, where they are put on rails and carried to Anzali - an Iranian port on the Caspian Sea. From there, the goods are carried by sea to Astrakhan in Russia.

Last September, Russia, India and Iran signed an inter- governmental agreement to facilitate the movement of goods along the north-south transport corridor. Bahrain, Kazakhstan and Lithuania have since applied to accede to the treaty.

The new route is growing popular both with Indian and Russian companies, says Mr. Mikhail Garskov of the Cascon (Caspian Container) company. The company was set up last year by Russia's major carriers and port operators to jointly develop the north- south route.

According to Mr. Garskov, Indian exporters of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and polypropylene to Russia have largely switched their freight to the North-South route. Similarly, more and more Russian exports of newsprint, chemicals, fertilisers, metals and timber to India are channeled through the new corridor.

A Government-endorsed plan calls for building new container- handling port facilities in Astrakhan, laying new railway links and deepening the Volga river bed to allow container ships go from Astrakhan up north as far as St. Petersburg.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Explosion near Chandrika's house
Next     : 32 soldiers killed in Jaffna offensive