Ust-Luga coal terminal is the threat for ramsar area Kurgalsky Peninsula (another coast of the gulf)

Luga Bay: ports against nature.
Vladimir Zimin, "Green World" Sosnovy Bor, Russia

The first coal terminal in the new port of Ust-Luga at Luga Bay started its operation in December 2001. The new port is designed for export-import operations with all type cargoes. The total designed cargo bulk is planned to reach 35 million tons per year. In order to operate the transport more effectively, the railway near the port will be reconstructed. The cost of the project together with establishment of infrastructures will be approximately 4 billion USD according to the estimation of the Green World.

Ust-Luga coal terminal is the threat for ramsar area Kurgalsky Peninsula (another coast of the gulf)

The port is situated at the eastern shore of Luga Bay, 8 km from “Kurgalsky peninsula” wetland Nature Reserve, which is located at the western shore of the bay. The area is an internationally designed Ramsar site and belongs with European NATURE 2000 network as a Special Bird Protection Area. More than 200 bird species live or stop for the rest in migration season in this nature reserve. Some of them, e.g. Bewick’s swan (Cygnus bewickii) osprey (Pandion haliaetus) are registered in International Red Book. The rocks and small islands near Kurgalsky peninsula shore are also famous for their important role in breading Baltic seals.

The construction of Ust-Luga port is in progress in spite of the protest of environmentalists who believe that the additional human activity in this area will produce detrimental transformation of the wetland area. In addition, Luga River is one of the most important watercourses for successful spawning of Atlantic salmon and other anadromous fish species in the Russian part of the drainage basin of the Gulf of Finland.

Ten specialized port complexes will be constructed in total. In 2003 designers have revised and re-planned the port complex in Ust-Luga. The new general scheme of the port Ust-Luga was directed to the Government of the Leningrad oblast for consideration and endorsement in late December 2003.

The new port of Ust-Luga is listed among Russian harbors, where operations with radioactive cargoes are permitted (Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation # 1491-р of October, 14 2003). Green World bewares of possibility of import of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel from western countries via Ust-Luga. In January 2004 the Committee for Economy of the Government of Leningrad oblast has approved once more environmentally harmful project of “Severo-zapadny alliance Ltd Company”. The company intends to build the new fuel/oil terminal in the Luga Bay near settlement Vistino at the northeastern shore of the bay.

This project will be realized in 2004-2008. Brief characteristics of the new port area you can find below:

The project will put deterioration of the environmental condition of the bay resulted in loss of the renewable natural resources as well as loss of the traditional local fishermen business.