Work on the design of the Belaruskali mineral fertilizers terminal on the western shore of the Kola Bay may begin next year, JSC State Transport Leasing Company (GTLC) may become a partner, Governor of the Murmansk Region Andrey Chibis said in an interview with Interfax.
"Negotiations are underway between three parties - the Murmansk Region, Belarusian partners and the State Transport Leasing Company, which can become a partner in this project. Two optimal sites for terminal placement have already been selected on the western shore of the Kola Bay," the governor said.
He expressed hope that at the beginning of 2023 Russia and Belarus will approve the financial model of the project.
"I can say that the optimistic forecast is that the design of the terminal should begin in 2023, and its construction may begin in 2024," Chibis said.
He noted that cooperation with Belarus affects various spheres. Thus, the Murmansk Region acquires trolleybuses, buses and municipal equipment in Belarus. One of the Russian airlines is considering the possibility of restoring a direct flight from Murmansk to Minsk.
Cooperation has also been established in the mining sector.
"An agreement with BelAZ on the establishment of a repair and service center has already been reached, this is really important and relevant. In addition, a BelAZ laboratory will be opened in the Apatity (Apatity - IF) branch of the Murmansk Arctic State University in order to train specialists in the management and repair of this equipment on the spot - in our mining cluster," Chibis said.
According to him, BelAZ develops mining equipment "specifically at the request of our industrialists."
The head of the region expressed the opinion that another area of cooperation could be construction.
As reported, since February of this year, Belarus has been deprived of the opportunity to export chlorokalium through the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. In addition, there are EU sectoral sanctions against Belarusian potash fertilizers, as well as EU and US prohibitive sanctions against Belaruskali and its trader BCC. Before the sanctions were imposed, 10-11 million tons of potassium chloride were exported through Klaipeda annually.
As reported, on September 8, a meeting was held between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the governor of the Murmansk region, at which it was decided to reorient part of the Belarusian cargo to the Murmansk region.
Chibis reported that a decision has been made to build a new mineral fertilizers terminal on the western shore of the Kola Bay for transshipment of Belarusian export cargo. The terminal's capacity can reach 5-7 million tons per year. The project is being developed jointly with Belaruskali.
At the same time, Murmansk Sea Fishing Port JSC (MMRP) has been receiving cargo from Belarus since April 2022 - feed for aquaculture farms produced by the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation. The share of Belarusian cargo in the Murmansk fishing port has already reached 17% in the structure of the total transshipment of MMRP - 39 thousand tons out of 228.2 thousand tons of cargo for April-November.
An interview with A. Chibis is posted on the website at: https://www.interfax-russia.ru/northwest/exclusives/gubernator-murmanskoy-oblasti-andrey-chibis-aukcion-na-strategicheski-vazhnoe-kolmozerskoe-mestorozhdenie-litiya-ozhidaem-v-nachale-2023-goda.
/According to the information “Interfax-Russia”/