Business Watch
Russia's automated system, "Argus" gives the possibility to prior notify Russian border control checkpoints on the date and place of planned arrival of the goods imported to Russia and subject to border, phytosanitary, sanitary and veterinary controls, said the press release of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor).
The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia's Ministry of Transport has awarded a certificate to Volga-Dnepr Airlines to perform its own cargo handling at Russian airports. The certificate entitles Volga-Dnepr Airlines to handle and load various types of cargo at Russian airports without the need to use external agencies.
The move will enable Volga-Dnepr to increase its aircraft operating efficiency by reducing both ground time and transportation costs for domestic and international services.
Ukraine will not join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishchenko told members of parliament today.
He reiterated the 3 + 1 format of cooperation with the Customs Union put forward by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich. "This means the following: first, Ukraine intends to collaborate with the Customs Union without having formal membership in the organization. We are not in talks with the Customs Union." The foreign minister also said that Russia did not set any conditions for Ukraine's membership in the Customs Union. Russia only expressed its aspiration to see Ukraine join the organization, he added. The key priority of Ukraine's foreign policy is EU integration.
Baltic Fuel Company, the St Petersburg based bunkering company, has commissioned a new conventional tanker. The 5,000DWT double bottom/double sides 'Captain Ponikarovsky', meets the requirements of Annex VI to MARPOL. The ship's dimensions: LOA - 105.71 m, beam overall - 17 m.
At least 150,000 tons of oil, 400,000 tons of gas condensate and 600,000 tons of iron ore are planned to be shipped along the Northern Sea Route in 2011.
The several successful shipping operations in 2010 are now making shipping companies look at the Northern Sea Route with increasing interest. According to Nord News, at least 150,000 tons of oil are planned shipped from Murmansk to China. In addition, there are plans for about 400,000 tons of gas condensate and 600,000 tons of iron ore to be sent along the same route.
Russia’s second biggest gas producer Novatek has signed a cooperation agreement with icebreaker operator Atomflot on shipping along the Northern Sea Route.
The agreement lays down both companies’ intent to engage in strategic cooperation in the field of safe shipping, a press release from Novatek reads. It includes both shipping of equipment for the development of the South Tambey field in the Yamal Peninsula and of LNG from the same field.
Novatek is the license holder to the South Tambey field, a project which is planned to be developed as LNG together with Gazprom. The project is planned to be developed in three phases, the first covering the period 2012-2016.
Several companies have shown interest in the project, among them Total, GDF Suez, Shell, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Repsol, ONGC and Qatar Petroleum.