Astrakhan shipping companies are ready to participate in the development of a shipping route on the Caspian Sea between Astrakhan and the Turkmen port of Turkmenbashi, Governor of Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin told TASS on Saturday on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Igor Babushkin added that the region has the potential to expand its fleet.
"We have worked with our shipping companies on the opening of a shipping line between the Astrakhan port of Olya and Turkmenbashi, they are ready to get involved in this work," Babushkin said.
Besides, the Governor pointed out that Astrakhan shipbuilders are ready to build ships for working on Caspian shipping lines, which promotes the growth of cargo flow in the international North-South transport corridor and reduces the costs of freight owners in transportation across the Caspian Sea.
The Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan Open Joint Stock Company and the Joint Stock Company "Special Economic Zone "Lotos" (Russian Federation) signed a Memorandum of intent on the implementation of the investment project on the creation of the logistics center of Turkmenistan in the special economic zone at the Astrakhan port at the end of January.