MINSK, 16 April (BelTA) – Russia is interested in advancing cooperation with Belarus in the area of freight transshipment, BelTA learned from Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak on 16 April.
Asked about the transshipment of Belarusian oil products via Russian ports, the official said: “The task is being fulfilled in full. Moreover, the volume in March was slightly larger than the target. We also expect an increase in the volume in April. The mechanism works. Both Belarus and Russia are interested in advancing cooperation in this field. Today we also discussed the possibility of transshipping other goods in the future (not those relating to energy industry but those relating to production sector and other areas) and the possibility of using joint logistic chains. It is effective and helps develop trade and economic cooperation.”
BelTA reported earlier that Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Aleksei Avramenko and Russian Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev met in Moscow on 19 February and signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in transporting and transshipping Belarusian oil products, which are intended for export to third countries, via Russian sea ports. In line with the document Belarusian companies are supposed to transship over 9.8 million tonnes of freight via Russian ports at the Baltic Sea in 2021-2023. The agreement may be extended after that. The freight includes such cargoes as furnace oil, gasoline, and lubricants.
