On December 9, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received the Governor of the Astrakhan Region of Russia Igor Babushkin , the state information agency TDH reported .
The parties discussed the potential of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport. In this regard, a proposal was made to carry out on a regular basis cargo-and-passenger flights to the ports of a number of the Caspian states, including the port of Olya (Russia).
Back in 2014, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the then governor of the Astrakhan region of Russia, Alexander Zhilkin, agreed to open a ferry service on the Turkmenbashi-Olya route. In November of the same year, a ferry arrived in Astrakhan, which was supposed to connect Astrakhan and Turkmenistan with regular flights. After that, the President and Zhilkin discussed the issues of activating sea communications between the ports of Turkmenbashi and Olya in the spring of 2017.
More detailed information of the meeting was presented by the press service of the Governor of Astrakhan. So, according to the results of nine months of 2021, the foreign trade turnover between the Astrakhan region and Turkmenistan amounted to almost $ 200 million and remained at the level of the last year. At the same time, the Astrakhan business has a demand for Turkmen goods: they are ready to buy textiles, seasonal vegetables and fruits, cotton fiber and polypropylene.
It was noted that the creation of a logistics center of Turkmenistan in the Astrakhan region can contribute to the growth of mutual trade.
“We propose to locate the center on the territory of a new port special economic zone near the port of Olya. From here, Turkmen goods can get by the shortest route to the Russian regions, as well as to the markets of European countries. I invite specialists from Turkmenistan to the Astrakhan region to discuss the details of the project, ”said Igor Babushkin.
The head of the region also proposed to open a regular car ferry line between the ports of Olya and Turkmenbashi.
In addition, the topic of shipbuilding was discussed. Astrakhan shipbuilding enterprises are ready to fulfill orders for Turkmenistan and build ships of any class and purpose. The Governor confirmed his readiness to establish industrial cooperation: to build ship hulls at the shipyards of the Astrakhan region, and then transport and equip them at the Balkan shipyard in Turkmenbashi .
Another topic of negotiations was the Caspian cruise line. “We are finishing the construction of the Peter the Great cruise ship, now we are conducting sea trials and will launch it next year. I am sure that Avaza will become the pearl of the Caspian route , ”said Igor Babushkin.
On the same day, Babushkin met with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic, Banking and International Financial Organizations Serdar Berdimuhamedov .
According to the TDH, officials discussed joint work within the framework of the Turkmen-Astrakhan Council on entrepreneurship, as well as the prospects for cooperation in the areas of trade, construction, shipbuilding and maritime logistics.
The governor's press service writes that Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov approved the idea of Igor Babushkin to establish the Center and instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to work out this issue.
At a meeting with the deputy chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, the governor noted that the logistics center would help increase foreign trade between Turkmenistan and the Astrakhan region, and proposed to place the Center on the territory of the port special economic zone near the port of Olya in the Astrakhan region.
“Our zone is actively developing. An anchor resident appeared here: the port and logistics company "Caspiy". By the end of 2023, the company plans to commission four new terminals with a capacity of more than 3 million tons, ”the head of the region said to members of the government of Turkmenistan.
It is reported that Rashid Meredov supported the decision to create a logistics center and noted that in the coming days he will appoint a project coordinator from the Turkmen side and proposed to hold the first joint detailed discussion on video conferencing next week.
The issue of opening regular flights between Astrakhan and Ashgabat was also discussed. The Deputy Prime Ministers were offered to study the possibility of opening direct flights by Turkmen Airlines after the lifting of restrictions related to COVID-19.
It was reported yesterday that not a single vessel has been built at the Balkan shipyard located in the port of Turmenbashi since 2018. However , the containers are repaired, welded and painted, and iron fences and gates are manufactured at the request of customers.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan