Russia invests in €2bn Baltic port extension

Russian federal agency Rosmorport and the Primorsk shipping complex are set to build a new port facility as part of a larger overall development of the nation's Baltic port. 

The new "Primorsky universal transshipment complex" is said to be the largest investment project on the Baltic coast in Russia - clocking in at around €2 billion - and forms plans to increase port capacity in the Baltic Sea, which is claimed could lead to the creation of 3,500 new jobs.

Read more: Wärtsilä & Microsoft to bring connectivity to the high seas

When completed, the terminal and port complex located at the eastern side of the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg will have a capacity equal to 20% of the annual total cargo volumes of the Russian seaports in the Baltic.

Currently, Primorsky Port located at the termination of the Baltic Pipeline is the largest Russian oil loading port in the Baltic. In 2019, Primorsky handled over 61 million tonnes of cargo, with oil making up about 20% of the overall volume.

The transshipment complex was first announced back in July 2021.

In announcing their plans for the development of the port, FSUE highlighted that the port complex is an important strategic facility. It will be used for reorienting Russian foreign trade cargo from the seaports of the Baltic States and developing the potential for Russian exports.

The Primorsky universal transshipment complex will be the first deep-water port complex in the Baltic basin capable of handling large-tonnage vessels. When the full design capacity is reached by 2030, the volume of the cargo at Primorsky UPK will be up to 65 million tonnes per year. 

Primorsky UPK is part of a large-scale infrastructure project that includes a port complex, a new high-speed four-lane highway, and a modern high-speed railway infrastructure. As part of the construction effort working with the railroad, they expect to complete a regional bypass and the construction of a North-Eastern railway bypass of St. Petersburg to speed the movement of cargo.

Read more: Shipping sector outlines plans for net-zero, calls for government support

The construction of the port complex is planned to have been finished by December 2024. In 2025, a trial operation of the terminals will be carried out as they expect to begin building cargo volumes.

Back to Homepage

Back to Construction & Engineering