The crew of the Mir sailing training vessel of FSUE "Rosmorport" and cadets of maritime educational institutions undergoing navigation practice on a sailboat welcomed the Ministers of Transport of the BRICS countries.

The first-ever meeting of the Ministers of Transport of the member countries of the association took place on June 6 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), as part of the Russian Federation's chairmanship of the BRICS in 2024.

A solemn reception on behalf of the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Roman Starovoit took place in the evening on board the motor vessel Chaika which is Russia's first LNG powered river passenger vessel. The foreign delegation was welcomed at the Rumyantsevsky Descent pier by the orchestra and cadets of the Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping.

The Mir STV was awaiting for the arrival of the Ministers at the Marine Facade pier. In honor of the solemn event, fore and aft sails were set, uniformed cadets lined up on the masts and on the starboard side of the sailboat. As the Chaika vessel approached the frigate of FSUE “Rosmorport”, the captain of the Mir vessel Andrey Orlov and the cadets greeted the Transport Ministers of the BRICS countries in the Northern capital of Russia.

To the sound of the vessel's bell on the Mir STV, foreign guests were photographed against the background of the symbol of St. Petersburg - the unique sailboat of FSUE “Rosmorport”, recognized as the fastest frigate in the world.

Mir STV is famous for its victories in international sailing regattas, participation in high-level events such as the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 and major international maritime festivals, which underlines the status of the sailboat as a symbol of Russian maritime culture.

The frigate has visited a number of major ports in Europe and North America during international voyages, but has not yet visited the ports of the BRICS countries. It gives room for future expeditions and new opportunities in order to strengthen international cooperation.

More details about the Mir sailing training vessel can be found in the information leaflet.

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Currently, the BRICS member countries are 10 states: Russia, China, Brazil, South Africa, India, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. The Ministers of Transport of the countries of the association, who arrived at the SPIEF, shared their national experience in implementing the most important infrastructure projects of their states. The key issues for discussion were the development of the transport sector in the digital age, the establishment of sectoral cooperation within the framework of the association, the role of transport and logistics corridors, including the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

As part of the INSTC development project, FSUE “Rosmorport” performs large-scale dredging operations on the Volga-Caspian Sea Shipping Canal, which is the most important infrastructure facility of the INSTC, aimed at maintaining the 4.5 m passage draft of vessels on the canal, as well as expanding one-way traffic sections.