The geopolitical situation in the world has intensified the struggle for strategic resources, which include Belarusian potash. As transport workers claim, it is a high-margin product, and its transshipment ensures good profits. While some of our neighbors with access to the sea have forgotten the laws of their capitalism and place local politics above the economy, others offer mutually beneficial cooperation. Among those ready to accept not only potash but also other cargoes from Belarus are the Russian ports of Murmansk. BELTA correspondents visited this northern city to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the route.

Mutual interest

The topic of using the Murmansk transport hub for transshipment of Belarus

Regional authorities have already become involved, as reported by the first deputy minister of Arctic development and economy of the Murmansk Region, Artem Kuksa, to Belarusian journalists at a meeting in Murmansk. According to him, appropriate appeals have already been made at the federal level and to Russian Railways (OAO RZhD). "Currently, we are working with our colleagues, discussing how this can be organized. This is indeed a complex issue; it does not have a quick solution. But such an appeal exists, and we are working on it," said Artem Kuksa. "We have already entered into negotiations with colleagues from Russian Railways to determine what the tariffs and payment system could be. These could be flexible, diversified tariffs, a system that would allow us to recalculate them quickly according to a special formula at certain moments in order to redistribute cargo toward the Murmansk port."

Artem Kuksa also reported that work is currently underway with the Belarusian side to clarify the details of the possibility of transporting goods. "We are genuinely interested and ready to provide all possible support for directing these cargo flows toward the Murmansk Sea Trade Port, because this is truly an important direction of international cooperation. We are interested in making Murmansk a convenient and reliable gateway for Belarusian products to world markets, as well as a platform for implementing joint logistics and investment projects," emphasized the first deputy minister.

What advantages does Murmansk offer

Currently, Belarusian potash is exported mainly through the ports of Leningrad Oblast. On this route, the Russian side has provided tariff benefits for transportation, which the Murmansk authorities are

Until recently (after the introduction of Western sanctions and the refusal of Baltic ports to cooperate), the route via the Leningrad Oblast ports seemed most preferable for Belarus — both in terms of freight rates and the length of the transport leg. But external factors come into play here as well. Due to drone attacks on these ports, marine vessel insurance costs have risen sharply, so even the current freight rates to the Murmansk direction no longer seem prohibitively high. One should not discount the fact that the Baltic route passes through the territorial waters of several EU member states, which have already hinted more than once at the possibility of blocking shipping from Russian ports. Therefore, having an additional proven route would not be superfluous for Belarus. Moreover, Murmansk ports allow shipping goods either via the Northern Sea Route or toward the Atlantic without entering anyone’s territorial waters.

And what does the weather have to do with it

Another advantage of Murmansk is its ice‑free, year‑round ports. Belarus has already taken advantage of this plus. The thing is, last winter the Gulf of Finland froze