Rosmorport to modernize ferry terminals in Baltiysk, Ust-Luga
KALININGRAD. Aug 12 (Interfax) - The Rosmorport federal state unitary enterprise is developing a project to reconstruct the railway terminals in Baltiysk and Ust-Luga which will increase the capacity of the ferry line 1.8-fold, the press service of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport (Rosmorrechflot) said.
"The head of Rosmorrechflot, Andrei Tarasenko, and Rosmorport CEO Sergei Pylin visited the ferry complex in Baltiysk. The deputy director of the northwest basin branch of Rosmorport, Kaliningrad Department Head Andrei Moshkov, reported to them on the terminal's upcoming reconstruction. The planned modernization of the railway marshalling yard will increase its capacity from 200 to 320 railcars," the press service said.
At present, the ferry complex is operating above 2024 levels. In January-June, more than 1.1 million tonnes of ro-ro cargo and railcars were transshipped in Baltiysk, up 19% compared to the same period last year.
The heads of Rosmorrechflot and Rosmorport also visited the construction site of the seaport terminal in Pionersky and discussed increasing the number of ferries on the Ust-Luga Seaport - Kaliningrad Seaport line with regional representatives.
At a meeting with seaport terminal operators, tenants and representatives of shipping agency and forwarding companies, discussions focused on operations under Western sanctions - in particular, the development of coastal shipping between Kaliningrad and Russian ports in the Gulf of Finland, which should partially offset the decline in cargo turnover after 2022.
"Issues of transport support for the Kaliningrad region were also considered at a meeting with Deputy Presidential Representative in the Northwestern Federal District Sergei Yeliseyev and Kaliningrad region Deputy Governor Alexander Rolbinov. The parties discussed the need to continue the program of subsidizing sea transport between mainland Russia and the region," the press service said.
As reported, the ferry terminal in Baltiysk as well as Kaliningrad Commercial Seaport are the main transshipment points for cargo entering or leaving the region. Their importance increased after Lithuania introduced restrictions on rail and road transit of sanctioned goods in the summer of 2022, with certain reservations and quotas on their volumes. At the same time, the transit of sanctioned goods by road transport through Lithuania is prohibited.
As of early August, around 30 vessels provided cargo sea transportation between the Kaliningrad region and mainland Russia.
