OREANDA-NEWS  The United Grain Company (UGC) is going to order 14 new bulk carriers at Russian shipyards to export grain to developing countries. This was stated by Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov and confirmed by a representative of the UGC, RBC reports.

Yevtukhov admitted that currently the Russian industry has no experience in the construction of bulk carriers (bulk carriers for the transportation of bulk cargo), but in the long-term plan for the construction of civil vessels until 2035, which in August of this year was commissioned to develop by President Vladimir Putin, they are available.

The press service of the Ministry of Agriculture indicated that the relevance of its fleet has grown due to Western sanctions imposed after the conflict in Ukraine began. A number of international carriers refused to cooperate with Russian suppliers.

A representative of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), the largest Russian manufacturer of the civil fleet, said that the first cargo ship could be launched no earlier than 2026. In turn, the UGC noted that in addition to the construction of new ones, the company intends to purchase five bulk carriers on the secondary international market.

Currently, Russian exporters do not have sea bulk carriers-grain carriers, all vessels are chartered. At the same time, more than 80 percent of grain exports are carried out by sea. Due to the position of many companies that are afraid of falling under secondary sanctions, the cost of sending grain increases significantly, which reduces the profits of agricultural enterprises.