Arkhangelsk to present an Arctic home-base area project

The Arkhangelsk Region is planning to present a blueprint for a so-called home-base area to coordinate activities of all actors in the Arctic at the ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ International Arctic Forum, the Region’s Governor Igor Orlov said.

“Our project aims to set up the Arkhangelskaya home-base area – a serious logistical structure based in Arkhangelsk to coordinate activities of all actors in the Arctic,” I. Orlov told RIA Novosti on the margins of the Russian Investment Forum in Sochi.

He added that a total of eight such areas were planned.

“They will constitute activity hubs in the Arctic that will give an impetus to the development of the Arctic as a whole. This includes the development of deep-water sea routes and ports, railways and highways. We will talk about this, and I think we’ll be able to make decisions that will help us make progress on addressing those matters,” the Governor said, adding that a deep-water port means investments, including foreign investments.

“Many are expressing interest in the Arctic today, that’s why we are in talks with investors from Arctic observer nations too. I believe we’ll be able to find a solution because we’ve already covered a portion of the way that’s called a port construction declaration, and we are conducting geodesic studies to assess potential costs at a location of our choosing,” I. Orlov said.

Besides, according to the Governor, his region will present other projects at the Forum too.
“We are home to the Northern Arctic Federal University – the only one of its kind in this area. We will be proposing projects and startups,” the Governor said.