Talking to the press after his meeting in Moscow this week, Orlov underlined that the federal government supports the position of the regional administration. The trawler fleet will remain based in Arkhangelsk, and the buyer will have to meet a number of social obligations for the fleet employees, a press release reads.
As previously reported, the 100 percent state-owned trawler fleet is up for sale, and several key players in Russian fisheries and fish processing are about to place their bids. Among the companies which so far have approved for participation in the tender are the Virma company and the Severnye Investitsii. Also the powerful company “Russkoye More”, owned by amongst others oil tycoon Gennady Timchenko, has been approved.
Because of its important role in fish supplies, the Arkhangelsk Trawler Fleet has status as a “strategic” company, which means that foreign entities have restricted rights as bidders. Still, the “Russkoye More” has got the FSB’s blessing for participation in tender, although it is formally registered at Cyprus, Izvestia reports.
The tender is due early 2013.
The Arkhangelsk Trawler Fleet employs about 3000 people in Arkhangelsk Oblast. It has 20 trawlers and is one of the biggest catch quota owners in the Barents Sea. The price tag of the company is estimated to 1,9 billion RUB.
