The construction of the Vitebsk hydraulic structure gave an impetus to the development of shipping of all forms of ownership
Thanks to the construction of the Vitebsk HPP, the upper pool has a length of 48 km with stable depths and good fairway characteristics. The artificially created conditions have spurred the development of infrastructure and shipping of all forms of ownership.
Regional businesses express serious interest in creating their own fleet. However, there is a problem with the lower pool, which affects the functional activities of "Vitebskvodtrans".
In the 20 km section, it is practically unnavigable during the low-water period. By order of the minister, the enterprise analyzed the situation and the possibility of building an artificial backwater below the river port to ensure transportation during the navigation period. But there are no guarantees that the structure will withstand the load during floods.
According to Nikolai Kotetsky, the construction of a third facility – an investment project for cascading the Western Dvina with the Beshenkovichi HPP – will fully ensure navigation on the section from the Russian border to Polotsk.
Regarding the activities of "Vitebskvodtrans", Nikolai Kotetsky noted that in a short period, its head Anatoly Leonov has brought the branch to stable operation.
For 9 months of 2019, the revenue of "Vitebskvodtrans" amounted to more than 2.8 million rubles and increased by 35% compared to last year. Cargo turnover increased by 32%. Labor productivity per employee was 30.3 thousand rubles (an increase of 29%). The average salary is 871 rubles (29%).
With the construction of the Beshenkovichi HPP, huge prospects for the development of navigation on the Western Dvina would open up. For example, in the spring, during high water, "Vitebskvodtrans" delivered timber to "Vitebskdrev", which is many times cheaper than by road. Dolomite crushed stone could also be transported from Ruba to Polotsk. The possibility of building a tourist ship similar to "Belaya Rus", which sails on the Pripyat and is in high demand, would be considered.
Participants of the republican seminar on the development of IWT visited the Vitebsk HPP and the navigation lock. After that, they took a boat trip on the "Vitebsk" steamboat to Zdravnevo. For an hour and a half, they were accompanied by Alexei Sukhorukov, the director of the Ilya Repin Museum-Estate, who, together with Anatoly Leonov, is promoting the idea of a permanent excursion route from the Vitebsk HPP to Zdravnevo. Alexei Sukhorukov noted that it is necessary to use the newly emerged opportunity to travel to the museum-estate by water. People are interested in this. Moreover, Ilya Repin himself sometimes traveled by steamboat from Vitebsk to his estate. Along the way, tourists can be told many interesting things about the Western Dvina, which in ancient times was an important transport artery for both Vitebsk and the entire region from the Valdai Hills to the Baltic Sea.