The II Astrakhan International Forum "International North –South Transport Corridor" continues its work. Fast entry into the premium markets of Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, the East, Asia, Africa and India." The session "The new concept of the INSTC, development prospects" was held today.
The speakers were Dmitry Dubovik, Director of the Caspian International Integration Club "INSTC", Head of the Laboratory of the Institute of National Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Department of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas Yuri Shcherbanin, Deputy Minister of External Relations of the Astrakhan Region Ilya Toropitsyn, Managing Partner of the Vidhisastras Law Firm (India) Ashish Deep Verma and others.
In his speech, Ilya Toropitsyn noted that the Astrakhan Region is a strategically important transport and logistics center of Russia on the Caspian Sea within the framework of the INSTC.
"Our region already has the necessary infrastructure for transshipment of goods along this route. At the same time, we are actively working to increase existing transit capacities," he said. – Goods are shipped not only from Russian regions, but also from Belarus. They travel through the Astrakhan region to Iran and then transit to the countries of the Middle East and Asia, including India."
Ilya Toropitsyn spoke about the positive experience of foreign investors working in our region in the field of logistics. This is primarily under the control of the Iranian company PJSC Astrakhan Port, on the territory of which a large-scale modernization has been carried out, new machinery and equipment have been purchased, additional terminals have been created. Last year, the Iranian side established its own shipping company in Astrakhan.
"This year, the Astrakhan region has been repeatedly visited by the leadership of Iran's leading shipping company, IRISL," said the Deputy Minister of External Relations. – Iranian colleagues have proposed the organization of joint agency activities in ports in the south of Iran. In turn, we are ready to work out the issue of creating a joint shipping company that could operate both in the south and in the north of Iran."
Ilya Toropitsyn said that in order to increase the existing cargo flow along the INSTC in the Astrakhan region, work was carried out to increase the through draft in the Volga-Caspian Sea shipping channel to 4.5 m.
The Deputy Minister of External Relations stressed that the region pays attention to the development of land cargo transportation along INSTC. A cargo logistics hub has been created in the Astrakhan region by investors from Azerbaijan. It serves the flow of goods from Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and India, which goes along the western railway line of the corridor, as well as goods that arrive in Astrakhan by road from Uzbekistan along the eastern branch of the corridor.
The existing capacities of this logistics terminal make it possible to receive and process more than 1 million tons of cargo per year. Further expansion is planned.
"The potential of cooperation between the Astrakhan region and our partners in the field of logistics, both by sea and by land, is far from exhausted," Ilya Toropitsyn said in conclusion of his speech. "We are interested in expanding partnerships and are ready to consider any possible options for cooperation."