Approximately 20 bln rubles needed through 2033 for development of stage 1 of Arkhangelsk Transport Hub - governor

ST. PETERSBURG. Dec 12 (Interfax) - The upgrade of associated infrastructure for the development of the Arkhangelsk Transport Hub will require 20 billion rubles of investment over the next ten years, Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky said at a working meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"At the first stage, the development of this project [the Arkhangelsk Transport Hub] will, in any case [require] public investment of approximately 20 billion rubles over the next ten years to create and strengthen the associated infrastructure," Tsybulsky said during the bilateral meeting in Arkhangelsk on Monday.

Tsybulsky said that the Arkhangelsk Transport Hub "has every chance of becoming an important part of the development of the Northern Sea Route." The region is already involved in a project to develop the deep-water area of the port of Arkhangelsk, which will allow it to increase cargo turnover by 20 million tonnes in the future.

"This is a financially intensive project, we know we won't get immediate financing for it, but nevertheless, we are working [on the infrastructure design]," Tsybulsky said.

The governor of the Arkhangelsk region noted that the new deep-water area of the port would allow access to ships with drafts of up to 14.5 meters.

As reported, in October the Russian government approved a comprehensive development plan for the Arkhangelsk Transport Hub through 2035.

The plan is comprised of measures to develop the region's railway and road infrastructure, including the construction of access roads and bridges connecting to both new and existing terminals of the seaport of Arkhangelsk. The plan includes the modernization and expansion of the capacity of the Solombalka railway station in 2024-2027, the overhaul of road bridges across the Povrakulka and Solombalka rivers, and the construction of a bridge across the Kuznechikha River. The last two projects are planned for 2026-2028.

Earlier on Monday, Tsybulsky, at a meeting on the development of Russian Arctic zone support settlements in Arkhangelsk, proposed including a project for the construction of a deep-water area in the Arkhangelsk port as part of the Northern Sea Route development plan through 2035.

The press service of the governor and government of the Arkhangelsk region previously reported that the cargo turnover of the seaport of Arkhangelsk in 2022 totaled over 6.6 million tonnes.