Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct. 9
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
Ferry service between the Caspian cities of Makhachkala (Dagestan Republic of the Russian Federation) and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan) is planned to be openedin 2020, Trend reports referring to Russian media.
The ferry will have the capacity to transport up to one million tons of cargo annually, Haji Sultanov, acting Minister of Economy of Dagestan, told TASS.
"We expect to address this issue by April-May 2020. Makhachkala port has the needed capacity to receive ferries, and they are working on this issue with the Turkmen side," Sultanov said.
According to the acting minister, the ferry can be loaded on the way back with drinks as well as goods produced by Dagestan's industrial enterprises.
"There will be also transit cargo from Turkmenistan, which will first go through Makhachkala port, and then through Novorossiysk to Europe," Sultanov said.
The Makhachkala - Turkmenbashi ferry service was launched in 2002 and operated for about a year.
Turkmenistan borders with Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Iran on the Caspian Sea. In 2015, Turkmenistan Marine Merchant Fleet CSJC was established. The company owns seven tankers carrying oil and oil products, four dry cargo vessels, two passenger ferries and two towing vessels.
