To foster relations with friendly countries, new shipping container container service is being developed between St. Petersburg and the ports of South America and the Caribbean. The Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, announced this in TASS interview.

«We’re working on new container lines to South American and Caribbean ports,» A. Beglov explained.

He also stated that direct sea communication between the Iranian deep-water port of Bandar Abbas and the modern deep-water port of Bronka in St. Petersburg was possible. «Use of the direct sea route on a regular basis, primarily for container traffic, will eliminate political risks while also helping to relieve pressure on the Caspian shoulder, which is currently experiencing peak demand,» the governor added.

For St. Petersburg in 2022, according to A. Beglov, the departure of large sea carriers following the implementation of anti-Russian sanctions was palpable, resulting in a 37.5% decrease in cargo turnover at the Big Port of St. Petersburg. The city has taken a number of steps to assist stevedoring companies and also had to alter the shipping logistics.

«Since June 2022, we’ve been operating a new sea route from St. Petersburg to India. Direct shipping container service linked St. Petersburg’s Big Port to India’s largest port, Nava Sheva (Mumbai), as well as the ports of Mundra and Chennai. The Silver Bergen refrigerator from Cape Town arrived in our city on January 12, 2023. «This is the first direct ship delivery of South African fruits in winter — grapes, peaches, plums, and avocados,» said the governor.