Dear friends!

I heartily congratulate you on The Day of marine and inland fleets worker all those who are involved in sea and inland ways, whether it is a designer or an engineer, a seaman or a master, a mechanic or a constructor.

People who cast in their lot with main waterways are very appreciated and treated respectfully in our country.

The role of fleet in the history of our country is hard to be overestimated. Important milestones of Russia formation are connected with the fleet: people and countries have been communicated with the help of marine navigation for centuries, the Age of Discoveries was the age of explorations at rivers and sea.

Nowadays, the marine and inland fleets are the most important part of the native economics, quick steps are made to explore the Northern Sea Route, merchant vessels are built, icebreaking and technical fleets are enlarged, ports capacities are increased.

Marine and inland transport development is based on traditions that have formed at fleet for ages, that are still developing, getting stronger and multiplying.

Modern marine and inland fleet perform large and complex facility. To manage them we need you - specialists of higher qualification, who perfectly know their job. That is your everyday work that let the branch develop and move ahead. I extremely grateful to all employees and veterans of marine and inland fleet for their honest labor, professionalism and devotion to the cause.

Let fair wind fill your sails to bring you straight to new projects contributing to the Russian shipping, and no storms prevent you from turning into life your most courage plans.   

With all my heart I congratulate you on your professional holiday!

I wish you fair wind and a following sea!
 
M. Sokolov