Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan Region Denis Afanasyev announced the region’s readiness for closer cooperation with Turkmenistan in the field of shipbuilding. He announced this on the sidelines of the International Conference and Exhibition “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan-2023,” TASS reports.

“We have good prospects in the field of shipbuilding, we interact quite actively in this area. Our shipyards are ready for full cooperation with the Turkmen shipbuilding and ship repair plant “Balkan”. Several rounds of negotiations were held on this topic, and the terms and parameters of cooperation are now being worked out. Our shipyards can offer all types of vessels, from small vessels to drilling platforms. With the creation of a new port and Balkan plant in Turkmenbashy, cooperation can be taken to a new level, cooperation can be made closer and mutually beneficial,” said Afanasiev.

He also noted that Astrakhan shipyards have experience in the production of marine equipment and offshore equipment, which is used for oil and gas production on the Caspian shelf. “Moreover, even now there are several facilities operating on the Turkmen shelf that were built at our shipbuilding enterprises,” added the deputy chairman.

In addition, Afanasyev announced the completion of negotiations on the creation of a Turkmen logistics center in the Astrakhan special economic zone (SEZ) Lotus.

“This work is still at the stage of completion of the negotiation processes. We have received a responsible party in Turkmenistan that will conduct this work - this is the Turkmenistan Maritime and River Transport Agency. We have already established a close relationship, we cooperate and interact, we develop approaches, specific issues, the legal form, the size of the site that is needed. We are moving in this direction quite well,” he explained.