MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – Belarus intends to build its own terminal or port in Murmansk Oblast, BelTA learned from Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Aleksei Avramenko before a session of the ministry’s board.
Aleksei Avramenko said: “A delegation of the ministry and other agencies concerned has recently returned from Murmansk Oblast. We are looking at sites over there. So far the Republic of Belarus has been offered three sites for building a terminal but we are also considering the construction of a Belarusian port.”
In his words, available sites are now being examined from the point of view of the existing infrastructure and what cargoes Belarus will be able to transship there. “Later on we are going to work out a strategic decision on placing and building a port in Murmansk Oblast,” the transport and communications minister said.
The official added that the decision on the advisability of building the port in Murmansk Oblast will be made this year.
Aleksei Avramenko also said that Belarusian export cargoes were transshipped in 20 Russian ports last year. “Having our own port, our own terminals for transshipping Belarusian export cargoes is a strategic task for us,” he stressed.