Russian Seaports Research Articles

Vitalizing logistics strategies for Tiksi Port using the interpretive structural modelling method

Tiksi Port is a Russian seaport located on the Laptev Sea shore in the Central Arctic region and holds potential as a crucial and versatile hub for the improvement of the Eastern Arctic sector. It is one of the main ports on the Northern Sea Route and can potentially become the primary point for transporting various types of cargo. Currently, Tiksi Port is shallow and incapable of receiving large sea vessels and although it was initially equipped with handling equipment, signs of decline are visible. This study aims to identify the critical logistics elements of Tiksi Port and classify them according to their level of significance in vitalizing the logistics activities of the port for further practical use. Interpretive Structural Modelling and the Matrix of Cross Impacts Multiplication Applied to a Classification (MICMAC) method was used in this study. The study findings revealed ten factors that appeared at three levels of importance. According to the analysis results, “combating oil spills” was present at Level 3, which is the first and most fundamental level to be improved. Tiksi Port officials and government ministries can use these results as a reference for development and to support the establishment of a cost-effective and agile logistics system for related companies.

Ensuring the economic security of the port shunting operator based on the growth of the investment potential of the activity

Background: in the conditions of the new geo-economy, the activity of companies -shunting operators of the port, becomes the most important process of the emerging transport and logistics supply chains. Despite the sanctions restrictions on the export and import of a significant range of goods, restrictions on sea transportation by the Russian fleet, lack of cargo insurance and other negative factors, Russian seaports are operating with maximum load. The economic security of the country's transport and logistics system is significantly determined by the efficiency and competitiveness of the activities of port operators. Analytical data on processed goods flows for the period from 2022 to the present and the forecast of the volumes of goods that will be announced for transportation in the next few years indicate an increase in the need for capacities capable of handling cargo in seaports quickly and at an optimal price.
 Aim: to ensure the economic security of the shunting operator delivering cargo to seaports, based on the growth of the investment potential of the activity.
 Methods: the methodology of the study is based on the analysis of the activities of JSC "POOL Trans" – an organization that provides effective maneuvering work in the MP «Ust-Luga» and uninterrupted handling of cargo traffic at the junction «Railway – Port – Sea», using the main provisions of the rating methods. The information base of the study is based on reports and the regulatory framework of JSC "POOL-Trans".
 Results: a system of indicators of investment potential assessment factors was determined with testing on the example of the activities of JSC "POOL Trans", a rating method was applied and tested in addition to the assessment of investment potential, key parameters of investment potential assessment and their compliance with the level of economic security were established.
 Conclusion: the study confirms that the change in geo-economics and geopolitics has expanded the understanding of economic security, supplementing it with elements of ensuring transportation under the most severe sanctions restrictions, which is the basis for providing innovative solutions for cargo transshipment that determine the growth potential.

Адаптация экономики российских регионов к разрыву отношений с Европой (на примере портов Балтийского моря)

Despite the sweeping economic sanctions imposed by Western countries, Russia has managed to avoid a significant recession, experiencing recovery growth. The situation in the regions earlier involved in cooperation with Europe was more complicated. Yet, these territories have also succeeded in reviving their economies and returning to growth. A number of growth areas have emerged in the Russian regions, which continue to develop under sanctions. A prime example of this is Russian seaports. This article examines the factors that enabled Russian businesses, including those operating in Baltic Sea ports, to adapt to the sanctions and continue operations. To do so, a comprehensive analysis was conducted, with a focus on macroeconomic, sectoral, regional, and corporate statistics. In addition, scholarly articles and information from business media were examined, and a survey was conducted among Russian enterprises operating across various industries and regions of the country. This study traces the history of economic relations between Russia and Europe over the past twenty-five years, examining the impact of Western sanctions on Russia’s spatial development, the response of Russian maritime transport to these sanctions, and the adaptation measures taken. It also evaluates the performance of Russian Baltic ports between 2022 and 2023, assessing the long-term risks and threats to their development and exploring the potential for maritime transport growth in the Baltic region under the current circumstances.

Ust-Luga Seaport of Russia: Biological Invasions and Resting Stages Accumulation.

This article describes the results of a three-year study of invasive species of aquatic ecosystems in the vicinity of Ust-Luga, the largest Russian seaport in the Baltic. Taking into account the great importance of the participation of marine vessels in the dispersal of invasive species, an experimental study of the seasonality of accumulation of resting stages of aquatic invertebrates in the ballast compartments of a vessel located in the Baltic Sea of the Gulf of Finland was carried out. Experiments show that the time of filling the ballast compartments in late summer and autumn poses the greatest risk for the spread of aquatic invertebrates with ship ballast water. In the Baltic Russian port, 11 invasive species of zooplankton and zoobenthos were found, which comprises 15% of the biodiversity in the samples. Copepoda demonstrated the highest presence of invasive species in class among zooplankton groups (14%) and Malacostraca among benthos groups (80%). Alien species findings correspond to the main vectors of invasive species dispersal for the Baltic Sea: North America, Indochina, and the Ponto-Caspian region.

Prospects for the development of transport in the Caspian region in the era of change

In the total volume of cargo turnover of Russian seaports, the share of the Caspian Sea is about 1% and, from the point of view of statistics, it has practically no effect on the overall efficiency of their activities. However, the geopolitical and economic significance of this region can hardly be overestimated. It is a kind of crossroads of the international latitudinal and meridional transport corridors "TRACECA" and "North-South". Today, the potential for cooperation in the Caspian region is not used enough, in particular, the potential for growth in the production of agro-industrial and industrial products, which can be directed to meet the growing needs of the post-Soviet Caspian countries, Iran, India and the Persian Gulf countries, is poorly realized. The prospects of the Caspian region are inextricably linked with the development of transportation, which determines the need to assess the existing promising cargo base. The ultimate goal of such an analysis is to develop programs for the development of existing and creation of new transport routes based on the principles of synchromodality, including the distribution of the cargo base between vehicles and the organization of their movement along the most profitable routes.

Совершенствование взаимодействия морских портов и железнодорожного транспорта

The article focuses on the problems of interaction between seaports and railway transport and their impact on the port operation efficiency. Railway transport in Russia plays a significant role in ensuring goods transportation. Despite the crisis phenomena taking place in Russia and in the world, the volume of transported cargoes entering and leaving the ports by railway is steadily growing. This trend is projected to continue, according to the Strategy for Development of the Russian Sea Port Infrastructure until 2030. It has been analyzed that the performance of seaports will be largely due to the effective operation of the rail transport and to their coordinated interaction. The increasing cargo traffic to the ports of Vladivostok and Vostochny led to a collapse in 2021. It affected the transportation of container cargoes to a greater extent. There are listed any possible reasons for such a situation: refusal of cargo owners to transport the cargo by sea; imbalance of rolling stock; limited capabilities of the railway; unavailability of the port infrastructure for a significant increase in cargo turnover; problems of coordinated interaction between ports and railway transport. It has been stated that particular attention should be paid to the lack of a clear and well-coordinated interaction between the seaport and rail transport, which entails both demurrage of ships and rail cars, increased time spent by the railway and sea transport in the port under processing, which ultimately affects the time of delivery of goods to the recipients. It has been inferred to develop a solution to the problem of control and coordination of the interaction between the port and the port railway station. There has been illustrated the scheme of information exchange in the port, suggested the complex system of information exchange, using which will contribute to solving the above-mentioned problems and optimize the activities of both seaports and railway transport.

Legal and Economic Prospects for the Arctic Seaport Developments of the Northern Dimension Partner Countries (Russia and the European Union)

The article is devoted to the legal and economic aspects of Arctic seaport developments, using the example of the Russian Federation and the Northern Dimension (ND) partner countries, namely, Iceland and Norway. The authors consistently reveal all the specific points related to the legal regulation of Russian seaport management (ranging from international legal cooperation to domestic strategies and national legislation), and conduct an assessment of the economic prospects for Arctic port development according to the latest data and trends in the field of logistical flows. They also provide a description of the ND countries’ seaport developments, primarily economic, taking into account the global environmental agenda. In conclusion, the authors make their constructive proposals for multilateral cooperation in this area.

Analysis of the activities of Russian seaports

Analysis of the activities of Russian seaports

Development of Russian seaports

Development of Russian seaports

Структура и архитектурный облик круизных портов

Introduction. The purpose of this study is to identify principles and trends in the construction and architecture of cruise ports. Presently, Soviet-era seaport buildings fail to meet cruise tourism development requirements and current norms and standards applicable to this type of structures. Today Russian seaports are limited to solely one function, that is, transportation of passengers, whereas abroad such structures have been transformed into multifunctional complexes. Materials and methods. Theoretical analysis of scientific literature, graphic materials, and written sources were used. The research methods include systematic, spatial, and socio-functional approaches. Results. The article presents the history of formation of the architectural appearance and the functional purpose of cruise ports. It specifies principal requirements and design standards for similar structures, as well as their integration into the mo­dern urban environment. The co-authors offer solutions to relevant problems, related to the architecture of seaport buildings in Russia, using a number of selected international design cases of multifunctional marine complexes. Conclusions. By transforming obsolete buildings of seaports multifunctional complexes, we end up with a new level of structures. The competent architectural planning structure will allow urban authorities to create interesting facilities that bring not only transport, but also commercial, recreational and social benefits to the city. The structure and architectural appearance of a cruise port must be designed with regard for contemporary design standards and encompass a wide range of functional, technical, urban planning, artistic and aesthetic requirements.

Strategic significance of port infrastructure in social and economic development of the Russian Federation and its regions

Transit communications and infrastructure facilities are basic conditions of countries’ spatial social and economic development. Cargo transportation services make up more than 50 per cent of the global export of transport services. Unique geographical position of Russia between Europe and Asia, existing border sea routes provide the country with the opportunity to become a part of global traffic flows and, thus, maintain the development of transit and export-import potential bound to the “entry points” into the world transport system. Domestic sea ports’ activities and their rapid modernization development can be predicted due to the fact that being part of the infrastructure they maintain communication in the area and the national economy’s integration into the global economy. Each sea bordering region of the Russian Federation solves the problems of developing separate ports. In the south they pay great attention to development of transport potential of the region by means of complex development of regional transport hubs, in particular, creating special economic port areas. Northern regions are more oriented towards developing the Northern Sea Route ports which provide exploration and production of hydrocarbons, and arrange northern supply to hard-to-reach regions. The Baltic region is characterized by tough competition with the Baltic states’ ports, and they have to reinforce import-export and transit potential of the country connected with the emerging positive changes in the direction of freight traffic. In perspective, the North-West Federal District is supposed to become a platform for several large-scale strategic infrastructural projects. As a result, a transport and transit area will be created to increase the volume of international and domestic transportation and the throughput of the regional seaports. Life-supporting function of port infrastructure is the strategic factor of the development of the total transport system of Russia due to its vast territory. Therefore, strategic regulation and programs have been developed at the federal level. They function as valid regulatory legal acts, are part of the total state government system and maintain national security and connectedness of Russian territory and stable economic growth. Strategic significance of these documents for sustainable social and economic development of the Russian Federation and its regions required analysis and systematization of Decrees, Strategies and Programs from the viewpoint of infrastructural factor of construction and modernization of Russian sea ports.

Грузопотоки в балтийских портах России: факторы, тенденции, перспективы

The volatility of the exogenous conjuncture has been increasingly affecting the Russian Baltic sea ports economics in terms of freight flows dynamics, destinations and commodity items share. The methodological distinction between the notion of ‘freight turnover’ and ‘freight flow’ is given for specification of the port activity, measured in qualitative indicators, consistent with the supply chain peculiarity on the contrary of the quantitative indicators, measured in tons. The classification of the factors, affecting the freight flows is represented as well. The freight turnover at the Russian Baltic ports has been gradually dropping. The unfavorable political conditions as well the world economy and trade downturns are not the only main reasons. The research is focused on the dynamics and structure of the freight flows at the Russian Baltic sea ports under the impact of political, ecological and economic factors, when the COVID-19 pandemic reveals the main ‘bottlenecks’ of their current economics and entails the global supply chain disruption. The ongoing global economic crisis results in the world trade squeezing, causes trade conflicts and increase the cases when trade became unfair practice in the political deals. The author of the article makes a special focus on the raw resource freight turnover specialization of the Russian sea ports as one of the most critical characteristics. In a time of growing risks and uncertainty large scale investments with the long term return into development of port facilities and port construction should be thoroughly analyzed. The author concludes that the freight redirection from the European sea ports to the Russian sea ports, located on Baltic Sea, will have positive, however, short-term, effect. The long term sustainability of the Russian Baltic sea ports will be determined by the reduction of the raw resources dependence and diversification of the freight flows, which also means increasing the share of cabotage and containerized cargo

Sustainable digital transformation of the port equipment management system

The subjects of the transport space are developing new tasks, which are due to the accelerated introduction of digital technologies in the economic and social spheres. The article is devoted to the consideration of issues related to the need for digitalization of port equipment and seaports in general. The main advantages and disadvantages of digital transformation are highlighted. Also, the article contains examples of the use of digital technologies in Russian and foreign seaports. Conclusion is made about the need to improve the efficiency of seaports through digital transformation and interaction of subjects within the new digital space.

Стратегические приоритеты развития структуры грузооборота морских портов России

Стратегические приоритеты развития структуры грузооборота морских портов России

Digital tools for seaports geo-information support while climate change and Covid-19 pandemic

In article, there are presented digital tools development results for geo-information support to seaports activity within Industry 4.0 period, when while climate change and covid-19 pandemic. In study, there are used methods of data bases constructing, web-technologies and virtual reality tools. Also, there are used Foresight technologies, theory of decision making under uncertainties and risk management. As digital tools, there is proposed to use digital online platforms, which integrate heterogeneous hardware and software resources with the use of web-technologies in distributed networks and wide application of cloud services. In study, there are used data bases and tools of geo-information digital online platform EOS, including its Land Viewer product. As study result, there is demonstrated usage of geo-information support system for Russian seaport Ust-Luga. The research results presented in this article has significant scientific novelty and can be useful for private investors, public environmental organizations of the civil sector and state environmental control bodies.

Legal Regime of Russian Seaports: Security Policy Updates

The article is addressed to the groups of regime rules of the Russian Federation (RF) seaports that are of the highest relevance and have undergone significant changes in legal regulation in 2020. The impact of new challenges and threats, destructive for the port industry and the country as a whole, was relieved thanks to timely and effective measures. Updating the organizational and legal mechanism of sanitary control and quarantine formalities in seaports was considered against the COVID-19 pandemic. Their effectiveness and correspondence with world practices are noted. Analysis of the legal regulation of transport security and ensuring the protection of seaports showed the directions for further rulemaking works and the construction of an integrated safety and security system for a seaport by eliminating the duplication of security systems’ functions. The necessity for a reasonable allocation of funds for ports security is noted, taking into account the analysis of performance functions and based on a risk management system. The ecology element of the regime of the Russian Federation’s seaports is considered taking into account the recent organizational measures to reduce dust and petroleum pollution. The importance of maintaining a balance between verification measures and levels of environmental hazards are indicated.

About the Results of Monitoring Researches of Ballast Waters and Data of Identification of the Vibrioes Strains Selected During the Ships Researches in Russian Seaports in 2018

Relevance. In September, 2017 the International Convention on Control of Ships’ Ballast Waters and sediments, in which the Russian Federation takes part, came into effect.Aim of article is to cover the results of implementation of the Convention in Russia, regarding selection and analysis of ballast waters tests for compliance with the international standard.Material and methods. The materials for work were data on ship arrivals at the international seaports of the Russian Federation, provided by sanitary and quarantine departments of the Russian ports, and monitoring researches of ballast waters in seaports of some regions of the Russian Federation. Analytical, bacteriological, molecular methods were applied.Results. The studies of ballast waters in the Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions have been conducted for the first time in 2018, and in the Rostov region the study lasts since 2010. The laboratory researches of ships’ ballast showed that E. coli, Enterococcus spp. were in norm, V. cholerae O1 and O139 in ballast were absent. 12 of 21 ballast water tests investigated by specialists of the Rostov region laboratories contained V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139, ballast was taken on the ships which arrived from Romania and Turkey.Сonclusion. The results of the molecular and genetic researches suggest that there is a probability of V. сholeraе introduction brougth with ship ballast. Management decisions are demanded to ensure biological safety of shipping and to decrease intestinal infections incidence in residents of the seaside cities.

About the Results of Monitoring Researches of Ballast Waters and Data of Identification of the Vibrioes Strains Selected During the Ships Researches in Russian Seaports in 2018

Relevance. In September, 2017 the International Convention on Control of Ships’ Ballast Waters and sediments, in which the Russian Federation takes part, came into effect.Aim of article is to cover the results of implementation of the Convention in Russia, regarding selection and analysis of ballast waters tests for compliance with the international standard.Material and methods. The materials for work were data on ship arrivals at the international seaports of the Russian Federation, provided by sanitary and quarantine departments of the Russian ports, and monitoring researches of ballast waters in seaports of some regions of the Russian Federation. Analytical, bacteriological, molecular methods were applied.Results. The studies of ballast waters in the Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions have been conducted for the first time in 2018, and in the Rostov region the study lasts since 2010. The laboratory researches of ships’ ballast showed that E. coli, Enterococcus spp. were in norm, V. cholerae O1 and O139 in ballast were absent. 12 of 21 ballast water tests investigated by specialists of the Rostov region laboratories contained V. cholerae non-O1/non-O139, ballast was taken on the ships which arrived from Romania and Turkey.Сonclusion. The results of the molecular and genetic researches suggest that there is a probability of V. сholeraе introduction brougth with ship ballast. Management decisions are demanded to ensure biological safety of shipping and to decrease intestinal infections incidence in residents of the seaside cities.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ФУНКЦИОНАЛЬНО-ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ РЕШЕНИЙ АРХИТЕКТУРНЫХ ОБЪЕКТОВ НА ПРИМЕРЕ МОРСКИХ ПАССАЖИРСКИХ ТЕРМИНАЛОВ

One of the priorities of the state policy in the field of transport infrastructure development is the modernization of the Russian seaport infrastructure, the creation of modern competitive transport hubs and other architectural objects with a complex functional and planning structure. This article is devoted to the study of functional and technological solutions of modern sea passenger terminals and the requirements to these solutions taking into account the interests of consumers, including people with limited mobility. The functional diagram of the passenger building of the seaport and types of pre-trip passenger training operations are given. It is shown that the efficient decisions of optimizing functional , technological, architectural and planning solutions of seaport passenger terminals is possible with the use of modern IT and technologies for passenger handling. From the perspective of system approach the tasks of functional and technological solutions’ optimization are aimed at achieving the high quality of architectural environment and are the mathematical programming tasks.

РЕТРОСПЕКТИВНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ МОРСКИХ ПОРТОВ РОССИИ (КОНЕЦ XIX - НАЧАЛО XX ВЕКА)

The article dwells upon the slow development of the Russian seaports and low rates of the cargo turnover compared to the growth of industrial and agricultural production. The low purchasing power of the population, high competition of the Russian export commodities in the world markets held back the increase in imports and exports. The railway network that had government preferences competed with seaports and hindered from growing coastal shipping. The Russian ports lagged behind the largest ports in Western Europe in terms of cargo turnover and technical equipment. In the Russian ports cargo operations took a lot of time due to the lack of berthing places, equipment and warehouses in the port area. The high expenditures of ship and cargo owners in seaports caused increased the freight cost and price for goods for the end consumers, which in general negatively influenced the development of the Russian economy. The small (relative to investment needs) amounts of private and equity capital, as well as high inflation, did not allow financing the construction and modernization of ports at the expense of private investors. Attracting the private capital was hindered by the high centralization of the seaport management system. The historically built ownership system in the Russian ports has identified almost the only source of financing - the state budget burdened with huge debts, whose priorities did not include the development of seaports. Their financing was hundreds of times less than the amount of financing ports in Western Europe and the USA. There has been analyzed the volume and dynamics of the turnover in the Russian seaports in comparison with the similar indicators of the Western European ports and ports of the United States, property relations in the seaports have been studied, and the levels of technological development have been presented. The seaports management system in Russia has been analyzed. The level of development of seaports was compared with the level of industrial and agricultural development.