OREANDA-NEWS. September 19, 2011. The volume of exports/imports handled at southern Russian port of Taman will increase considerably in the next fourteen years, a Transport Ministry official said.

Deputy Transport Minister Viktor Olersky told a conference, focused on the role of maritime councils in implementation of regional maritime projects, that proven cargo throughput of a new port of Taman will reach 98 million tons by 2025.

There have been 12 investors who would be willing to participate in the deep-water port project, Mr. Olersky said. Some sources named SUEK as one of the investors to build a coal terminal at the port of Taman. Three oil companies Bashneft, Tatneft and Rosneft will most likely join the project.

The construction of the new port in Taman of Krasnodar southern region is scheduled to begin in September 2012. The construction site will reportedly be located on the Black Sea coast from Cape Panageya to Tuzla Spit on the Taman Peninsula. St. Petersburg-based JSC Lenmorniiproekt was awarded the port design contract.

The new port will feature bulk terminals for handling coal, grain, metal, container, and possibly fertilizer.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had said the new port of Taman’s cargo throughput should reach in the next four years 35 million tons and 65 million by 2020. The port will be able to handle large tonnage vessels.

The Taman deep-water port project is valued at RUB 82,664,900,000 rubles.