Murmansk Fish Port on Privatization Agenda

The Russia is putting up Murmansk Fish Port on privatization lists, the operation earlier converted into a public limited company (Open Joint Stock Company in Russian Law) with 100% of the shares owned by the Federal Government, according to the Russian Fish Insider Report published by http://www.megafishnet.com/. 

Under the government schedule the port's shares are to be put up for sale within the end of 2012 and by 2013 the operation should get a private owner.

The current CEO Vladimir Sokolov  is however strongly opposed to the forthcoming change of ownership as premature and potentially pregnant with loss of fish handling business.

He was quoted by Rybatskaya Gazeta as saying that the government must first create legislation to make sure Murmansk Fish Harbour be preserved as a single fish handling complex.

Otherwise, warns Mr. Sokolov, the new owners could change the core business and Russia may lose the only unfreezing fish port in the north while the fishing boats would have to discharge catches in St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Norway and ports of Europe.