The volume of cargo handling in seaports of Russia for January – December 2011 amounted to 535.3 million tons, up 1.8% more than in January-December 2010. Of the total volume dry cargo handling amounted to 234.4 million tons, up 10.8% more than in January-December 2010. Liquid cargo handling decreased by 4.3% to 300.9 million tons.

Officials have already decided that the best way to do it on paper. Ministry of Economic Development proposes to amend the baselines for calculating areas of the shelf and exclusive economic zone, according to a government source. The special charm of these changes is that they do not require the approval of other countries, but the boundaries will move hundreds of miles.

In St. Petersburg, the “Baltic Plant”, December 29, was held a ceremonial launch of oil tanker “Mary.”

The Gazprom headquarters hosted today a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee and Paolo Scaroni, Chief Executive Officer of Eni.

15.12.11 on the slipway of JSC ”DVZ” Zvezda ” (Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Krai) is laid the ice-class tanker with a deadweight of 3,100 tons (00 211 project).

RosMorRechFlot concluded industrial agreement with trade unions of workers of water transport.

The Minister of Economy of Finland Urey Hyakyamies and the Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Khristenko on Thursday signed a memorandum on joint projects in the field of shipbuilding and marine equipment for the Arctic regions between research institutions, technology centers and companies.

Russian shipping company ”Palmali” in 2011 increased its exports of petroleum products transportation by inland waterways of Russia and from the ports of the Azov Sea to more than 1.5 times compared with the navigation in 2010 – up 6.5 million tons. This is stated in the press service of the company.

On December, 2 of this year the Agreement was signed between the JSC ”United Shipbuilding Corporation” and OJSC ”Vyborg Shipyard” on the building of diesel-powered icebreaker with capacity of 16 megawatts.

The Bulgarian Government has announced a natural gas pipeline ”South Stream” implementing by the Russian ”Gazprom” and a number of international companies as an object of national importance in accordance with the law on territorial planning and of public property. According to RIA Novosti this status will significantly reduce the time required for administrative procedures for starting the project.