A delegation of FSUE “Rosmorport”, headed by General Director Sergey Pylin, paid a working visit to Astrakhan. The head of the enterprise held a number of meetings dedicated to the development of the Volga-Caspian Sea Shipping Canal (VCSSC) and the activities of FSUE “Rosmorport” aimed at ensuring uninterrupted navigation in the seaports of the Caspian basin.

During the working visit, the delegation of the enterprise met with Nikolai Kovalev, acting head of FSBI “Administration of Maritime Ports of the Caspian Sea”, where the results of the work carried out by FSUE “Rosmorport” at the VCSSC in 2024 were summed up, and plans for dredging at the canal for 2025 were discussed.

This year, 13 dredgers, including the vessels of the enterprise and engaged by it, were involved in the canal excavation, which ended on December 22. According to operational data, dredging operations at the VCSSC were completed in the amount of 6.83 million cubic meters, which exceeds the planned figure for this year.

One of the topics of the meeting was the interaction of the FSUE “Rosmorport” Astrakhan Branch with the Headquarters of icebreaking operations in the seaports of Astrakhan and Olya during the winter navigation of 2024-2025. At the moment, all icebreakers of the branch are in a state of readiness: Kapitan Bukaev and Kapitan Chechkin are on duty on the canal, while Kapitan Zarubin and Kapitan Metsayk are awaiting orders from the headquarters.

General Director of the enterprise also held a meeting with the contractors involved in the work at the VCSSC. The results of the current year's dredging and the implementation of the project for the construction of protective structures on the canal were, among other things, discussed at the event.

During the meeting with the staff of the Astrakhan Branch, the head of the enterprise noted that one of the key tasks of FSUE “Rosmorport” was to fulfill the order of President of Russia to ensure and maintain a 4.5 m draught at the canal. The large-scale development of the VCSSC is necessary due to its serious shallowing, which has been observed in recent years.

Sergey Pylin set the branch the task to pay attention to the repair of the dredging fleet for the high–quality and timely execution of this order and to ensure high readiness of vessels for dredging by April 1, 2025, when work at the canal starts. Currently, two more dredgers and three support vessels are under construction to operate at the canal.

FSUE “Rosmorport” plans to complete the construction of protective structures at the VCSSC this year to protect the canal from wave, wind and ice impacts, as well as reduce its drift and improve the safety of vessel traffic along the canal. Work on the construction of the discharge canal will be completed by the end of 2025.

A separate issue for discussion was the acquisition by the branch of additional dredgers and auxiliary fleet vessels to perform the tasks of maintaining a 4.5 m draught at the canal.

At the end of the meeting, the head of FSUE “Rosmorport” expressed gratitude to the staff of the branch for their daily work necessary to fulfill the strategically important tasks facing the enterprise, and wished new successes next year.

During the working trip, Sergey Pylin also met with Olga Kartashova, director of the Caspian Institute of Maritime and River Transport named after Admiral General F.M. Apraksin — branch of the Volga State University of Water Transport. The meeting was devoted to discussing the need for new staff. At the moment, specialists with both higher education and secondary working specialties are required to work in the marine industry. During the meeting, the cooperation in maritime training of FSUE “Rosmorport” specialists to work in the Caspian Sea on the basis of a branch of the Caspian Institute was worked out.