By John Helmer in Moscow The last time Russia was obliged to teach strategy to the ruling powers of the Baltic Sea — in the 18th century, they were the Swedes – at the Battle of Grengam (pictured), the Russians claim they won. But so do the Swedes. The outcome, however, was that the Swedish […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, August 23rd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Three Japanese grain traders — Itochu, Sojitz, and Mitsui — are competing to establish the first major Russian grain export terminal at a Russian port on the Sea of Japan. Rapid growth of demand for wheat in the Asian markets, and the price and transport advantages of Russian grain, have […]

by John Helmer - Friday, July 31st, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow While unpaid Russian workers on shore petition for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s help,block highways, or appeal for media coverage, Russian seamen have used a very old weapon to claw back their pay from Russian shipowners — their trade union. The union campaign at sea is without precedent on land. Russia’s […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Far Eastern Shipping Company (Fesco), the third largest of Russia’s fleet companies and the dry-cargo leader, reveals plummeting profit for last year will be followed by loss-making this year. The bad news has taken some time to be disclosed by the publicly listed shipping company, which operates a fleet of […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, July 16th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s Chief Prosecutor’s office has acknowleded that putting Somali pirates ashore for trial in Kenya is no longer an option, unless the Kenyan courts are replaced by a fully funded international tribunal. Responding to questions from Fairplay, Alexander Zvyagintsev, the deputy prosecutor-general, has issued the longest official statement on the […]

by John Helmer - Monday, June 1st, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia has abandoned its anti-piracy policy of fire, capture, arrest, and trial. Instead, the Defence Ministry and Navy have begun issuing orders to the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, off the Horn of Africa, to put ashore the group of pirates it took on April 28. The Navy also appears to have […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s second oil producer, LUKoil, has successfully moored the first of its new oil production platforms in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea. The company issued an announcement last Friday. The ice-resistant platform is a production unit of the Yury Korchagin oilfield, which is located at sea, 180 kilometres […]

by John Helmer - Sunday, May 17th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Russia’s state-owned crude oil pipeline company Transneft will commence loading oil tankers at Kozmino, the newest Russian oil port to be launched, as soon as December. With eventual capacity to load and ship 50 million tonnes per year (1 million barrels per day), Kozmino is to be one of the […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow Steady as she goes — that isn’t exactly the message from Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest shipping company, and one of the five largest energy shipping, oil and gas tanker fleets in the world. Analysts at Moody’s Investors Service have issued a rating downgrade for the state-owned shipping company Sovcomflot, with a […]

by John Helmer - Monday, May 4th, 2009
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By John Helmer in Moscow The Russian government now leads the international naval powers’ tablewith 29 pirates under arrest, 14 more than the number being held by France, which has taken an estimated 71 Somalis in all; sent 11 to prison in Kenya; killed 4; and returned the rest to the Somali shore. The US […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, April 29th, 2009
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