Operator Sought For Astrakhan-Turkmenbashi Port Ferry Services

The Russian Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Energy of the Astrakhan region has stated that regional authorities are working on the issue of determining an operator for a regular ferry service to be launched between the Olya port, in the Astrakhan region and Turkmenbashi port in Turkmenistan.

Large Caspian shipping companies are apparently ready to provide their vessels for the ferry crossing. The issue of launching a regular ferry line between the ports of Russia and Turkmenistan on the Caspian Sea has been discussed for several years.

The Ministry stated that “Within the framework of the agreements reached by the Astrakhan region with shipping companies, the issue of opening a shipping line in the Caspian Sea has been worked out. Major shipping companies operating in the region have confirmed their readiness to provide vessels to work on the line. Currently, the issue of determining the route operator is being worked out.”

The ministry did not specify exactly when a regular shipping line with Turkmenistan could be launched.

The opening of such a service would contribute to increasing cargo traffic along the INSTC and its component ‘Middle Corridor’ with connectivity also though to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. It would also boost the operation of the Turkmenistan Logistics Centre, which is to be established in the Lotus Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Astrakhan port.

The Ministry stated “We will continue negotiations and are confident that the Turkmen side will start implementing the project in the near future. The logistics centre will become a platform for the transshipment of goods from Turkmenistan for their sale on the Russian market. Warehousing, storage of goods, preparation for their transportation and sale, as well as exchange and wholesale trade of products, will be carried out on the territory of the logistics centre.”

In addition, the opening of a regular ferry line between the Olya and Turkmenbashi ports will allow a new route for organising transportation with Kyrgyzstan – through Uzbekistan.

Turkmenistan has already begun modernising the Turkmenbashi port, which will make it a major logistics hub both on the route of the North-South transport corridor and as part of the Trans-Caspian route also connecting China and Europe.