The Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic (Minvostokrazvitiya) submitted a draft federal law on northern deliveries to the Government for consideration. Earlier, the document was coordinated with 25 regions of the Russian Federation, the concerned ministries and agencies.

The bill stipulates an entirely new comprehensive system for managing northern deliveries. It defines the concept of northern deliveries and delegates the responsibilities of various government agencies at every level.

“Shipments will be subdivided into three categories for priority processing at ports and terminals. There are plans to introduce digital identification and to improve procurement mechanisms for purchasing the required products,” the ministry website notes.

The document envisages federal support measures to facilitate northern deliveries. Russian regions will be granted budget loans for buying and delivering high-priority cargo under the northern deliveries program and for providing the relevant delivery services. The regions will also receive subsidies for financing their transport expenses.

The document also sets forth obligations as regards the financing of work to maintain supporting transport and logistics facilities at the federal, regional and municipal levels. Those taking part in the northern deliveries program will gain easy access to restricted infrastructure facilities.  

According to the plan, a single merchant marine operator will deliver high-priority consignments to northern regions under subsidized tariffs and rates.

Work is now underway to set up a federal system for monitoring northern deliveries. The system will store all data, including procurement plans and deliveries to specific destinations.

Minvostokrazvitiya shall act as the main federal coordinator. A procedure for planning northern deliveries shall be approved at the federal level. Areas eligible for the required shipments, cargo lists and supporting transport and logistics facilities shall also be determined federally. The regions, responsible for organizing and carrying out the northern deliveries, shall approve annual three-year delivery plans, draft the list of territories due to receive the cargo and the supporting transport and logistics facilities, and approve expanded regional cargo lists to provide support at the regional level.  . 

Minvostokrazvitiya experts drafted the federal law on northern deliveries as per instructions from President of Russia Vladimir Putin and under the supervision of Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev. Today, the northern deliveries program covers 25 Russian regions with a population of over three million. Each year, over 87 billion rubles are allocated for purchasing and delivering over three million metric tons of freight.