Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a project flowchart plan to promote the long-term comprehensive development of the Taman peninsula’s existing and planned seaport capacity.

There are currently no major terminals in the south of Russia for handling coal, sulphur and iron ore transhipments with vast storage capacity and sufficient water depth for receiving high-tonnage vessels. For that reason, the bulk of Russian coal and ore are exported by rail or through foreign sea ports.

Initiatives to develop the Taman sea port are aimed at shifting cargo traffic away from Black Sea ports in neighbouring countries to the Taman port.

The project to establish a dry-cargo area at Taman includes the construction of new universal transhipping complexes for handling bulk (coal, mineral fertilisers, sulphur, iron ore and iron-ore concentrate), loose (grain), general (steel) and container shipments, as well as the construction of water facilities, utilities and power facilities, railways and roads.

These decisions are expected to facilitate Taman port development, the creation of new transhipment capacity in the south of Russia, the development of cargo traffic through the country’s territory and ports and the creation of new jobs in the region.