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Future Rosneft hub changes status

The poulation of Roslyakovo will soon not be living in a closed military town. Rosneft has from before its "Belokamenka" terminal tanker (visible in picture) stationed outside the local port.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that will relieve the settlement of Roslaykovo outside Murmansk of its status as closed military town. Rosneft has ambitious plans for the local shipyard.

Location

Regional authorities in Murmansk six months ago started preparing a proposition for a presidential decree on changing the status of Roslyakovo from closed military town to industrial zone. Until now, Roslyakovo has been part of Severomorsk, which hosts the headquarters of the Northern Fleet, and was therefore closed to everybody that did not have an entry permit.

Putin on Monday signed a decree stating that the town will get a new status from January 1, 2015, TV21 reports.

As previously reported, Rosneft leader Igor Sechin in September last year got the Kremlin`s blessing for the acquisition of four yards, among them the Shipyard No 82 in Roslyakovo. The motivation for the engagement in shipbuilding is the company`s major ambitions in Arctic waters. Over the last years, Rosneft has acquired a significant number of offshore licenses and signed comprehensive Arctic cooperation agreements with foreign companies like ExxonMobil, Eni and Statoil.

Watch a glimpse of Roslyakovo on TV21