Top of the Agenda at Transtec 2010:
Russian Port Public, Private Partnerships and Privatization Programs
President Dmitry Medvedev announced fundamental changes to the management structures of Russian strategic industries which include shipping, sea ports and inland waterways.
In his headline address to the St. Petersburg Economic Forum he announced a greatly reduced management role for the State in industry, commerce and business. The official list of strategic enterprises open to private investment and finance, including investment and finance from foreign sources will be increased five times.
The President declared that Russia is improving conditions for investors to accelerate the introduction of innovations including the cancellation of capital gains tax for long term direct investment – a vital step to encourage Public Private Partnership.
The economy has expanded 4% in the first five months of 2010 and the Government foresees improvement on this figure fuelled also by a joint fund to develop strategic projects in which the State would provide 25% and Private Capital 75%.
Mr. Medvedev added that the future of the Russian economy relied heavily on the introduction of new technologies. If these technologies were not available domestically then the Government actively encourages Russian-Foreign partnerships / cooperation or direct purchase of modern state of the art products and equipment from outside Russia.
These measures should galvanize the massive development of the Russian Sea and Inland Ports following the latest National Ports Strategy announced by the Government.
TRANSTEC 2010 and the Second Conference « Future of the Russian Ports» is officially supported by the Maritime Collegium of the Government of RF, the Ministry of Transport of RF, ASOP – the Association of Russian Commercial Seaports, by the leading individual ports of the RF, by the Union of Russian Shipowners, the Association of Inland Ports and Waterways Companies and by the Executive Board of the Coordination Transport Council of the Ministers of Transport of the CIS.
The Conference will highlight the opportunities for foreign ports companies to increase their business with Russia.
The Profile of the Exhibition will be the display of equipment and services to meet the needs of the strategy for Russian ports development, engineering for ports development, equipment for ports development and ports and railways strategy, engineering & equipment. Exhibitors include branches of ROSMORPORT FSUE from throughout Russia, LenmorNIIproject Institute for Port design and Engineering, Association of Russian Sea Ports, State Customs Service, Universal Transport Logistic Holding B.V., including the Sea Port of St. Petersburg, North West Shipping Company and Volga Shipping Company.
The Second International Conference “The Future of the Russian Ports” presents a Programme of Key Note Papers form the RF Ministry of Transport, International Association of Ports and Harbors, Rosmorrechflot State Agency, European Sea Ports Organization, Russian Railways JSC, State Customs Service of RF, the Ports Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Maritime Bank of Russia among many others.
TRANSTEC 2010 will present the opportunities to open the trade highways within Russia, between Russia and her international trading partners and between Western Europe and the Far East. The Russian landmass as a major EuroAsiatic transport corridor has always been a central theme of TRANSTEC. International Ports Associations and leading individual ports globally will be invited to participate in the Program.
Port Links Sector – without this rapid development of sea and inland ports the production and consumption of products for Russian industry and society will be at a level far lower than demanded by the Russian population and the Russian business community. Port Links include Rail Links, Road Links, Logistics Operators, Terminal Operators, Air Links, Intermodal Transport Systems, Information Technology, Container Traffic Development and Project Management.
In the words of the RF Minister of Transport, I. E. Levitin “The Conference will benefit the development of the potential of Russia in sea transportation, foreign trade and international economic cooperation.”