China Merchants Group has shown interest in the construction of a future industrial and logistics complex in Bolbasovo

Hu Zheng, a member of the Board of Directors and General Representative of China Merchants Group in Central Asia and the Baltics, expressed interest in the investment project for the construction of the first multimodal industrial and logistics complex in Belarus in the settlement of Bolbasovo near Orsha.

According to Vasily Dementey, head of the "Bolbasovo" project (Bremno Group LLC), investments from such a corporation, one of the world's leading players in the logistics market, will significantly accelerate construction progress.

Cui Qiming, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus, and representatives of China Merchants Group visited the construction site of the multimodal industrial and logistics complex (MPLC) to familiarize themselves with the business plan and discuss cooperation prospects on-site. The dialogue was attended by Oleg Matskevich, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Lisovsky, Chairman of the Orsha District Executive Committee, and representatives of the national logistics operator Bremno Group LLC and the Vitebsk FEZ.

There is no doubt about the unique location of the "Bolbasovo" MPLC, where the first phase of construction has begun. It is a crossroads of major routes between the EU and the CIS, the Baltic and Black Seas. It is located in close proximity to the railway line of the Orsha hub, the airfield of the Orsha aircraft repair plant, and the intersection of the Trans-European transport corridors No. 2 "West-East" and No. 9 "North-South" (international highways M1/E30 and
M8/E95). The corridors connect the North and South, as well as the Scandinavian countries with the Middle East. And this, according to Vasily Dementey, is ideal for doing business.

The "Bolbasovo" MPLC, with the completion of the first phase of construction planned for May-June 2018, is intended to become a key link in the "New Silk Road" transport route, according to Oleg Matskevich.

– There are no analogues to such a complex in Belarus, – emphasized the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee. – Warehousing and

production facilities, an intermodal terminal with a container yard, as well as service enterprises – customs brokers, freight forwarders, banks, insurance companies, etc. These are jobs, infrastructure, and consequently the daily life and living of people, and the economic development of the Vitebsk region. The total area of the industrial production facilities of the complex will be at least 2 thousand sq. m. It is planned to develop the airfield, create an export-oriented production facility using preferential terms for location and logistics services. A customs broker center and customs clearance for imported goods will operate at the MPLK base. The "Bolbasovo" complex will become the second Russian Kaliningrad for Belarus.

It is noteworthy that the investment project is being implemented by OOO "Bremino Group" with the support of the state using a business model that is relatively new for our country – public-private partnership.

– This is, undoubtedly, a promising and grandiose project, – noted Cui Qiming. – I am confident that it will be of interest to representatives of China's business circles.

Therefore, the next step should be the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between China Merchants Group and the founders of the MPLK "Bolbasovo" project.

Olga LEBEDEVA, photos by the author. "Vitebskiye vesti".