On September 8, 2022, Governor of the Murmansk region Andrey Chibis met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. One of the key topics of the event was the redirection of part of Belarusian export cargo due to the changing geopolitical situation in the world. It was then that the decision was taken to cooperate in this direction with the Kola Arctic.
During the meeting, Alexander Lukashenko noted that the head of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, supports the companies of Belarus in the implementation of a joint project of the two states on the territory of the Murmansk region, despite the fact that the Belarusian side had already actively participated in a similar project in St. Petersburg. We are talking about the multifunctional marine transshipment complex “Bronka”.
In addition, they discussed cooperation in the field of supply of industrial equipment. It should be noted that the Murmansk region has a fairly high natural resource potential; more than 60 large deposits of various types of mineral raw materials have been discovered in the Kola Arctic Territory, where about 30 types of minerals are mined. The explored reserves of most of them are of national significance, and for apatite-nepheline, kyanite ores, rare metals – of global significance. Therefore, mining and processing enterprises in the region have a certain need for the equipment of the Belarusian automobile plant.
They also discussed the supply of equipment that will allow the Murmansk region to solve social problems. For example, MAZ, specifically for the northern regions of the Russian Federation, has resumed production of buses in the northern configuration, and Belkommunmash plans to continue delivering passenger vehicles to the Kola Arctic. Amkodor can produce the widest range of products to order, which the region will feel the need for.
Andrey Chibis, governor of the Murmansk region, also added that the Murmansk-Minsk direct train is in great demand in the region, which indicates that the population is interested in this route, therefore it is necessary to work out options for launching direct flights between cities, which existed in Soviet times.
Almost a year has passed since the visit of the delegation of the Murmansk region to the capital of Belarus. Many points that were discussed at this meeting are being implemented, some have already been fully implemented. So, on May 23, 2023, 30 years later, the first direct flight on the Minsk-Murmansk-Minsk route arrived at Murmansk airport. Also in 2022, the Murmansk company Elektrotransport signed contracts with JSC MAZ for the supply of passenger buses and trolleybuses to the city, this year another 15 electric vehicles are expected to arrive from Belkommunmash. 12 pieces of equipment from the Amkodor company have arrived in different municipalities of the Kola Arctic. Around 300 BELAZ trucks work in the mining and construction industry in the region.
On May 25, 2023, a Belarusian delegation arrived in the Murmansk region for a return visit, led by Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko. During the meeting it was pointed out that at the end of 2022 it is possible to achieve a record trade turnover between Belarus and the Kola Arctic, it amounted to 286 million dollars, which is an increase of almost three times compared to 2021. It was also clarified that a similar trend is observed in the first quarter of this year, which indicates the establishment of strong cooperation ties, which should in the future form the basis for the development of integration in modern geopolitical conditions.
Another important project, the decision on the implementation of which was taken at the meeting, was the construction of a regional repair and service center branded “BELAZ” in the Murmansk region. In addition to the commissioning of the center itself, the project includes the creation of jobs in Apatity, as well as the active development of the mining equipment service sector in the region. Currently, a similar service already exists in the Kola Arctic, but it only deals with current equipment warranty and repairs, the new facility will increase the depth of repairs, which, in the conditions of the Far North, where people and equipment are forced to work in the most extreme conditions for themselves, is extremely important.
The participants of the event did not ignore the key project within the framework of cooperation between Belarus and the Murmansk region. We are talking about the export of part of the cargo from a neighboring state through the Northern Sea Route. It is assumed that for these purposes a terminal for the transshipment of potassium fertilizers will appear on the territory of the Kola Arctic. Currently, active work is underway to monitor and analyze promising areas for the creation of all necessary port infrastructure, the Belarusian side is studying the features of navigation in the waters of the port of Murmansk. Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Golovchenko said the Belarusian side received a number of proposals from the leaders of the Murmansk region on the possible location of the new terminal. In the very near future, they will be considered, Alexander Lukashenko will get acquainted with them, after which a final decision will be made. The logical outcome should be the move to the stage of business planning and legal study of the transaction.
Summing up, I would like to speculate on whether the Belarusian side will choose Murmansk for the export of part of its cargo. As far as we know from the media, Belarus has considered various ways to solve the problem of the impossibility of transshipment of goods through the Baltic ports. Some of them are currently being actively implemented (Bronka port in St. Petersburg). Here, the competitive advantages of the port facilities located in Murmansk appear in a favorable light.
Thus, when working in the Baltic Sea, Belarusian companies may still face the problem of free movement of ships due to restrictive measures taken by hostile states. In addition, the capacities of Kola Bay and the infrastructure available there make it possible to work with vessels of any size (length, width, draft). Do not forget that the port of Murmansk is ice-free, the beginning of the Northern Sea Route is located here, which in fact guarantees free access of goods to the Atlantic and Eastern countries.
Author: Viktor Anufriev
Read the Latest Government Politics News on The Eastern Herald.
