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MOORING IN THE NEVA BAY
A zoning scheme for St. Petersburg's coastal territory on the Baltic Sea developed by the City-Planning and Architecture Committee shows that many miles of the bow-shaped coast can be turned into ports. The time when both Russian and foreign companies will be competing with bids to develop promising coastal areas is not far off. There are areas, however, that some large well-established firms are closely scrutinising at present, namely the sites and moorings of the flood barrier complex (that poured up road across the Neva Bay) which has cost the state billions of roubles. Investors-to-be have the rare opportunity to cut their expenses before they actually begin to construct the ports. Initially, when the builders of the flood barrier complexwere hampered in receiving construction materials because of the limited capacity of the railroad, the ports were only prompted by the needs of the construction site. Now that the bulk of non-metallic materials have finally been transported, the ports, on reconstruction, can have other, optional, functions. A feasibility study done the LENMORNIIPROEKT Company summarises the possibilities and expediency of building port cargo transfer complexes on the barrier’s former construction sites on its western, pier-shielded side. Although some moorings exist in the borough of Gorskaya and on the Island of Kotlin, construction on the southern part of the barrier will have to begin from scratch. Experts are confident of a relatively quick recoup of the projected buildings. This is connected with the realisation of the global “European Gates of Russia” programme. A cargo distribution zone can be created in the borough of Gorskaya with an annual turnover of 1.87 million tons of metal, timber and other freight. The sea, highway and railroad are all situated very close to each other here. The Baltic Customs clearing point and the Mangazeya company’s consignment warehouse are also close by. There exist certain aboveground storage places. All this will allow for increasing the processing volume of cargoes arriving over land and water from Russia and abroad. In the winter, when the Neva Bay freezes, icebreakers will keep navigation in the fairway open. The container terminal on the Island of Kotlin can be further enlarged. The fact that Kronstadt has an excess of labour power will be conducive to the construction and operation of the complex. The neighbouring borough of Gorskaya may also use that surplus labour force. The borough of Bronka, on the other hand, already has construction facilities - those developed by the Neste St. Petersburg. These facilities may be used during the first stage of the port's construction, whose moorings will be 420 metres long and will handle 4 million tons of petroleum products annually.
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