OREANDA-NEWS. July 17, 2012. First Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia for Economic Policy Oleg Gromov met with Deputy Head of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency Sergei Gorelik. Matters at the meeting concerned reconstruction of hydraulic structures of the White Sea-Baltic Canal.

Total waterway length of the canal is 227 km, it includes 121 hydraulic structures: locks, dams, canal banks, and other objects. 77 constructions of the canal are put on the list of the state's critical objects. 500,000 tons of cargo is transported annually over the White Sea-Baltic Canal. Within three years steady growth of the volume of transportation has been observed. Belomorkanal federal budgetary institution is in charge of rendering service support to the waterways of the canal.

Works on reconstruction of the channel are financed from federal budget resources, in 2012 for these purposes it has been assigned 1 billion 80 million roubles. These funds are spent on projects of reconstruction of hydraulic structures and drainage dams, the integrated digital network is created. It is important that housing construction for the employees serving the canal is conducted simultaneously.

As Sergey Gorelik has told, reconstruction will make it possible to bring the canal structure into accord with normative requirements. This year the second stage of works will start upon the navigation expiration; within this stage it is expected to build new apartment houses for the personnel.

Oleg Gromov, in turn, has mentioned that the Government of Karelia is quite interested in mobilization of major federal investments, is ready to render necessary assistance to Belomorkanal federal budgetary institution and will continue cooperation with the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency.

Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Karelia Igor Usynin, acting Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia and acting Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia Alexander Efimov, Head of the White Sea-Onego State Basin Board of the Waterways and Navigation Valery Volkov and Head of the Works and Building Department of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency Vyacheslav Venediktov have also taken part in the meeting.