Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct.11 / Trend, H. Hasanov /
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov signed a decree appointing Rustam Kutlyev Acting Chairman of the State Service for Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan, the government said.
The former head of the Service Meylis Mutdikov was dismissed from his post for shortcomings in his activity. "Grave offenses, failure to execute contractual obligations, as well as weakening of the organizational work" were revealed during inspection of the activity of the State Service by the Prosecutor General's Office.
About a month ago at the working meeting Turkmen leader expressed dissatisfaction with low pace of implementation of projects under the master plan for development of the international sea port in Turkmenbashi city and national merchant marine by 2020.
Berdimuhammadov said then that work on modernization of the port infrastructure and renewal of the fleet is not up to the standard.
"In this regard, the Turkmen leader gave instructions to take appropriate measures aimed at enhancing attractiveness and competitiveness of the Turkmenbashi port, including purchase of vessels of international level to ensure export, import and transit cargo traffic, increasing passenger traffic, development of tourism activities," the government report says.
Shipping services have an important role in the development of foreign economic relations of Turkmenistan. The international port city of Turkmenbashi is to become a major transit point for passing through the country of the international East-West and North-South transport corridors.
According to the general plan of 2020, it's planned to build a shipyard, create a rescue service, purchase equipment to reconstruct the railway ferry terminal and the existing oil piers.
The operations include construction of additional berths and an autopassenger terminal, deepening and widening of the navigation canal, the construction of a new control tower to coordinate the work of the Turkmenbashi port, the opening of a logistics center, including the construction of berths for container and dry cargo vessels with a length of 1,500m.