RUSSIA TO ESTABLISH TRAIN FERRY ACROSS BLACK SEA BY 2015
RIA Novosti
17:10 | 21/ 01/ 2008
YEREVAN, January 21 (RIA Novosti) – Russia plans to launch more train
ferry services across the Black Sea by 2015, Russian Transport Minister
Igor Levitin told journalists Monday after a Russian-Armenian business
forum in Yerevan.
"We are seeking to establish sea links between all countries in
the region, which will allow us to transport people and goods,"
Levitin said.
He said six train ferry routes would be launched by 2010, and a
further six by 2015. The minister said there was a ferry in operation
between Port Kavkaz on the border between the Black Sea and the Sea
of Azov and the port of Poti in Georgia. Another ferry service will
be launched in March 2008.
In addition, an agreement was signed during Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s visit to Bulgaria last week to establish a ferry service
between Varna and Port Kavkaz.
"We plan to sign a similar agreement with Turkey later this year,"
the Russian official said.
Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi is currently seeing a boost in
development after it won a bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics
last year.
Armenian-Russian trade increased 17.9%, year on year, to $426.5
million in 2006.