On the eve of the morning on the same day, the Congress took place "round tables" on all modes of transport, where government representatives discussed the implementation of instructions of the President in the field of transport by results of the conducted meetings and meetings of the state Council Presidium in the period 2012-2017 At the "round table" on the issues of water transport in the framework of the Congress there was a constructive dialogue of representatives of business circles and professional associations domestic shipping and port industry, shipbuilders and experts with representatives of Ministry of transport of Russia and the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Participants noted the constructive cooperation with the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation that has developed over this period.

For a specified period the President about 140 instructions for transport, of which 43 relate to the activities of sea and river transport. The development of the Sabetta port will increase in cargo industry base, including the transportation of LNG, the volume of which, the NSR will increase.

"In comparison with other types of transport water transport today is the low infrastructure costs, low environmental load, and the opposite – high energy efficiency and safety. Shipping is an engine for the development of shipbuilding and innovation. In this area we have a breakout. Adopted in 2011, the Federal law "On support of shipbuilding and shipping" actually earned. At present, we in the International register of shipping are 1150 ships total deadweight of more than 5 million t Taken in the end of last year amendments to the merchant shipping Code of the Russian Federation allows the Russian sailors to exercise their legal right to work in the cabotage in the transport of foreign trade cargoes via the Northern sea route", - said in his report to the President of the Russian chamber of shipping Alexey Klyavin.

Alexey Klyavin said that in the legislative regulation within the Customs Code of the Eurasian economic Union was able to ensure that from 1 January 2018 from vessels that were repaired abroad and registered in International ship registry will not be charged tax and customs duties, including VAT that will allow you to maximize the efficiency of their use.

"The river is the repetition of our economy: growing the economy – increasing volume of river traffic. Today on the river there is an imbalance in the renewal of the fleet – old ships out more than comes a new. On the volume of river traffic also negatively affected by infrastructure constraints," - said in his speech, Deputy Minister of transport of the Russian Federation, Head of Federal Agency of sea and river transport Viktor Olersky. Commenting on the performance and positive momentum achieved in recent years in the port industry, which were announced March 1 at the Presidential address to the Federal Assembly, Victor Olersky emphasized that the numbers could be more if there will be more optimism among investors. The industry has the potential to go, there are reserves and at the ports and in the number of vessels.

A member of the Duma Committee on transport and construction, Head of the expert section on water transport Deputy Viktor Deryabkin (EP faction) told about results of work with the industry community. "In the State Duma on the issues of development of the industry gain their legislative solution. Out of 16 Federal laws relating to transport adopted by the state Duma in 2017, 7 - the laws on water transport. February 20, held a regular meeting of the Section, the results of which approved work Plan, in which 13 priority issues that need to be addressed," - said Viktor Deryabkin. The MP stressed that the Russian ports were adequately marked in the message of the President, and members of relevant expert Section intend to focus on finding new ways and solutions for the development of the economy of water transport.

Executive Director, Association of sea commercial ports Serik Zhusupov noticed that the current domestic port industry figure of 1 billion 25 million tons – it is certainly a leap, but not the limit. So, in the global port infrastructure leading Maritime countries, this figure may be on the level of transshipment volume of one port. The head of the port community drew attention to the enormous yet unrealized potential for transit as through the Russian Federation and SMP.

"Despite all the crises, annual growth of transshipment in Russian ports for the last 10 years stable at about 7%. Productivity – a qualitative indicator of the industry. Managed to attract part of the freight base of foreign trade cargo from ports of Baltic and Ukraine. In the development of the port industry during the last 5 years, invested from the Federal budget 100 billion rubles from extrabudgetary sources almost 180 billion rubles. Funds are invested for the implementation of investment projects in the ports of Vanino, Ust-Luga, Taman, Saratov and others," such statistics led the Serik Zhusupov.

According to experts, companies that provide services for the towing of ships, as well as operators of marine terminals should be removed from the register of natural monopolies, since they are in a competitive market.

Currently under consideration in the state Duma there are two legislative initiatives that are important to the port. It is an amendment to the specification of the infrastructure of ports belonging to a particularly dangerous and technically complex. And amendments in article 65 of the Water code.

Despite the evidence that the stevedoring business on the rise the dockers have problems constraining investment activity. For example, objects and monuments of the Soviet history, such as a warehouse, built in 30-ies within the boundaries of port of Saint-Petersburg, the monuments to Lenin, Dzerzhinsky in p. Tuapse. Investors complain that busy area such facilities and areas for handling missing. With the city no questions impossible to solve. Issues of state and municipal property are sometimes a barrier for investors.

The President of the Russian chamber of shipping Alexey Klyavin noted that in some cases it is necessary to organize interdepartmental interaction, and possibly to change the law. "About the investment attractiveness of Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed the need for stability, predictability and transparency of tariffs and taxes, at least for a certain period of time. On water transport in this period – at least 10 years", - said Alexey Klyavin.

The President of the Association of ports and shipowners river transport Alexander Zaitsev complained to the Ministry of Finance. In his opinion, it is the Ministry's position impedes the solution of a number of critical issues in the industry. On the development of inland waterways only once in 2017 was an increase of 4.5 billion rubles, and these funds are needed annually. Rests on the Ministry of Finance and the issue of privatization of river ports unclaimed for 1 ruble under the obligation of the investor to bring a port for 5 years to the design level. Already died Uglich, Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod river port, and others will die, then there will be nothing to privatize. According to Alexander Zaitsev budget subsidies in the range of 1 billion rubles annually require today, and the river passenger transport volume of which fell from 92 million in 1990 to 13.5 million in the last 4 years.

The industry is reeling from a discriminatory tariff policy towards inland waterway transport, which creates competition, state monopolies, Railways and pipeline transport in the face of Transneft in the direction of duplicate of GDP. As a result of this policy competition and seasonal discounts in 2017, the River lost 16% of cargo. If this situation is not corrected, then in 2018 it might be already 55% of the outflow of the cargo base for liquid bulk from the river. Thus, all built in the period 2010-2016 new tanker will become unprofitable. "The planned construction of the tanker will not be built, shipbuilders to lose 60 billion rubles of revenue. 55% of goods will lose the river, while the Railways lose only about 0.08% of its total cargo base, i.e. 0,1% of revenue. There is a fear that the tankers will be followed by bulk carriers. This situation is definitely contrary to government policy and decisions of the state Council," - lamented in his speech the Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC "North-Western shipping company" Andrey Gorlenko.

"Shipowners compete not even with one but with two state monopolies – Transneft and Russian Railways. Taking into account the tax maneuver offer Transneft release rate is bad for water and railway transport. Some positions have been defended. The losses will be from last year, but not as significant. You need to talk about the system solution. You need to make the vehicle balance, describe the main points that should form the basis of the transport balance to have a constructive meeting with RZD", - summed up the Head of Rosmorrechflot.

Anna Gornova

Tags: Sea policy , Anna Gornova