River and sea navigation in Russia begins to open in stages from April 1

Boris Tashimov, acting head of Rosmorrechflot, told the TASS news agency about plans to open summer navigation and develop passenger transportation, including on tourist routes.

"At the moment, we have already approved the opening dates of navigation. From April 1, it will begin in the Volgodonsk and Azov-Don basins, on April 24 it will start in Moscow, and by the end of April, from the 30th, it will open in the Volga-Baltic basin," he said.

According to Tashimov, over the past three years, passenger traffic on inland waterways has grown at a record pace (38%).

"In 2023 alone, 10.6 million people were transported, which is 16% more than last year. The increase in tourist routes was more than 30%. We believe that there are all conditions for further growth. The necessary berthing infrastructure is being built, and a special fleet is being actively built," he said.
The development of passenger transportation by inland waterway is taking place within the framework of the Great Volga Way project, which unites seven regions, as well as the River Highways project with the creation of a route that will connect the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Tatarstan and Chuvashia, and contribute to the creation of new tourist destinations.

"It should also be noted that in the last two years, the demand for river travel has been most active on the rivers of Siberia and Lake Baikal. Today, about 60% of summer cruises in Siberia and 80% on Lake Baikal have already been sold," said the acting head of Rosmorrechflot.

He also reported on the development of the necessary infrastructure. So, to date, the construction of a floating berth in the seaport of Taganrog has been completed, it is planned to complete the construction of a marine terminal in Pionerskiy, Kaliningrad region, marine infrastructure for the reception and maintenance of yachts in the port of Gelendzhik, a marine passenger terminal in Vilyuchinskaya Bay, Kamchatka Territory.

"We expect that river passenger traffic may grow by another 15-17% this year. We will also make every effort to increase sea transportation," Tashimov said.