SECOND FERRYBOAT TO ELIMINATE UKRAINIAN MONOPOLY

Armenpress
Feb 13 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS: A ferryboat with Armenia-destined
goods running between Russian port of Kavkaz and Georgian port of
Poti will become operational on March 1, Armenian transport and
communication minister Andranik Manukian said today.

He said the new ferryboat will resume Armenia’s direct connection
with Russia that has been possible only by air after Russian closed a
border checkpoint on its border with Georgia last year. Manukian said
the ferryboat will be transporting only Armenia-destined goods. It
will make two voyages a week. Agreements to that end were signed by
Russia and Armenia and Russia and Georgia.

Manukian said commissioning of the ferryboat will eliminate the
monopoly of the Ukrainian UkrFerry company that has set excessively
high tariffs. Thus, the Ukrainian company charges $,2400 for
transportation of one carriage, significantly up from $800 it charged
several years ago. Ukrainian railways charge $19 for transportation
of one ton of Armenia-destined goods across its territory. Manukian
said the new ferryboat line will reduce all these expenses.

Armenian officials expect that the ferryboat will bring to Armenia
120,.000 metric tons of goods and take out 15,000 metric tons of
goods in the first year of its operation. These figures will grow
significantly in the next several years.