By John Helmer in Moscow
A powerful 6-point storm on Monday did an estimated $60 million worth of damage, and severely set back the construction schedule for the new Sochi cargo port, being built for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games at Imeretinsky Bay. The new port is being built by the holding company of bankrupt Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, and funded from the federal budget.
Liebherr-Werk Nenzing has the contract to supply mobile harbour cranes and other cargo handling equipment.
The storm, on Monday evening, washed away breakwaters, pier infrastructure, diesel power generators, cranes and equipment, which, according to site reports, were not properly secured ahead of the storm. The construction companies are blaming lack of meteorological warning for the losses. The federal Transport Ministry has launched an investigation.
Mosсow maritime analyst Alexei Bezborodov noted that construction project and equipment specifications also failed to meet the storm test, and will have to be revised before rebuilding can commence, adding at least six months’ delay to the project schedule.