By Boris Overyanov
To date, 48 such sites are under construction countrywide, with half located in the Minsk Region — to cater to the heaviest transit traffic. The Deputy Chairman of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee, Valery Skakun, considers this distribution quite normal. The Minsk Region could become a transit ‘Mecca’.
The new project is part of a programme to develop Belarus’ logistics system. Shchitomirichi transport and logistics centre is to open in the first half of 2013, having cost around 30m Euros, while Beltamozhservice plans to build seven transport and logistics centres across Belarus by 2015. Two are already working effectively: in Minsk and Brest.
Transport and logistics centre Shchitomirichi is located at the cross point of railways and highways, near the capital, allowing delivery of goods by various transport means. Transport infrastructure is being upgraded, bringing additional revenue from exports of services.
“The programme for construction and development of logistics centres in the Minsk Region has been approved by Government decision and is being successfully implemented,” asserts Mr. Skakun. “The first stage of construction has begun at seven logistics centres and, this year, we’re expecting another seven to commence. According to experts, the volume of freight travelling across the country should rise from today’s 220m tonnes annually to 440m tonnes by 2015 — serving the Eurasian community. The Minsk Region has the best geographical position with which to serve all the regions of the country, since all roads traverse it: from Moscow to Brest, and from Gomel to the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine. It makes sense to base most logistics centres here, enabling the Minsk Region to generate sufficient revenue to the country’s budget while maximising exports and imports of services and goods. With this in mind, we should build new facilities, modernising our existing sites and doing all we can to ensure that freight traffic is served sufficiently in the Minsk Region: unloading, loading, storage, transfer reloading, labelling and all matters concerning carriers and manufacturers.”
