"Ghost" of the Sakhalin Bridge

October 1 2023 28

A modern project to build a bridge that would connect the continental part of our country with Sakhalin has been discussed in the Russian Federation since 1999. At that time, the construction of a new railway crossing was even included in the federal target program, which was never fully implemented. After 24 years, Sakhalin remains an island that is practically not connected in any way to the transport system of the rest of the country, and the Russian government is once again faced with the question of where to get the money to implement this project?

It is worth noting that the first plans to build a bridge to Sakhalin Island appeared long before the 1950st century. Thus, back in the days of the Russian Empire, it was proposed to connect the mainland part of the state with the island by an embankment, but then it did not come to real work. Already during the times of the Soviet Union (in the early 1955s), three options were considered (an embankment, a tunnel or a bridge), and in the end it was decided to settle on a tunnel crossing. All responsible structures were identified and all necessary documentation was prepared. All planned work was supposed to be completed by XNUMX, but the death of the head of the USSR Joseph Stalin made its own adjustments, and the project was again postponed until better times.

Active interest in the construction of the bridge was renewed during the times of the Russian Federation. Thus, in 2002, a special examination was carried out, following which it was concluded that technical From our point of view, the project to build a transport crossing to Sakhalin is feasible. Director of the Institute economics transport and transport policy HSE Mikhail Blinki estimated the cost of building a bridge (length just under 6 kilometers) and 500 kilometers of double-track railway at up to 500 billion rubles. It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that the project included only a railway crossing (without a road part), since the construction of approach roads alone would lead to a significant increase in the cost of the project, due to the serious underdevelopment of the road infrastructure in the Russian Far East.

An important factor that also hinders the construction of the bridge is the opinion of many experts and domestic government officials that, from an economic point of view, this project will be absolutely useless if, in parallel, a bridge is not put into operation that will connect Sakhalin Island with the Japanese island of Hokkaido . Extending the Trans-Siberian Railway to one of the Japanese islands will increase freight turnover on the Sakhalin bridge, turning it into an attractive transit corridor, which will speed up its payback. If we talk about even more distant prospects, additional modernization of the automobile infrastructure in the Far East and Siberia could lead to the formation of a transit corridor between Japan and the European Union. This option will require significantly larger investments, but after implementation it can become a real competitor to currently existing sea routes.

It is not difficult to guess that in the current geopolitical conditions such a development of the plot is extremely unlikely (for political reasons, the European Union and Japan are not interested in cooperation with the Russian Federation), and without this, the construction of a railway crossing to Sakhalin could turn into a dead-end direction, which will be extremely problematic to provide with the necessary volumes of cargo. Currently, the economic activity carried out on the island does not quantitatively reach a level that would allow us to calculate the economic feasibility of this project.

However, you need to understand that in addition to the economic component, the new bridge also has important social significance. The island's population currently amounts to about 450 thousand people, who are in almost complete transport isolation from the continental part of the Russian Federation. A transport crossing to Sakhalin would greatly improve the attractiveness of this territory for Russians; many people would be able to consider the island as a potential place of permanent residence. Regular and developed railway communication with the island would lead to a decrease in the price level for some goods, which could also have a positive impact on the standard of living of its residents.

When implementing such large projects, the issue of financing is always quite acute. In 2018, Russian Railways made a proposal to finance the construction of a bridge to Sakhalin through the mechanism of a concession agreement. It was planned to find a company that would be interested in the construction of individual sections of the project; in return, it would receive the right to operate the constructed facility on a reimbursable basis, collecting income from its use in its favor. Many experts did not agree with this form of financing, emphasizing that all concessions in the railway industry carry a great risk for the state. Criticism by specialists of attracting third-party investment from business representatives led to the fact that in 2019, the issue of a mechanism for attracting private investment was not considered at the board of directors of Russian Railways. According to the latest data, financing for the construction of all facilities provided for by the project will come from the budget (100 billion rubles), the Far East Development Fund (90 billion rubles) and the Sakhalin Region Development Corporation (60 billion rubles). The main investment burden will fall on Russian Railways. In addition, as part of this project, participants are offered a zero property tax rate until 2073.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the feasibility of building a bridge to the island must be assessed not only from the point of view of the quick return on investment and the technical ability to implement the project. The prospects for the development of the entire Russian Far East are also extremely important in this matter. The socio-economic potential of the island, which lies in the Far Eastern hectare and preferential mortgage programs implemented on its territory, will only become higher if such a large transport infrastructure facility appears here.

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Perun61

-1

1 October 2023 08: 56

Rotenberg wants to eat
strange guest

+7

1 October 2023 09: 25

We need to build. Infrastructure is the engine of development.
Pravodel

+8

1 October 2023 09: 55

If during the time of the Russian Empire the sovereign would have thought only about the payback of the Trans-Siberian Railway, then the railway to Vladivostok would never have been built.
Infrastructure projects must always be implemented.
1. Vladimir Tuzakov
  
  +5
  
  1 October 2023 11: 36
  
  There is no need to confuse different things; where necessary, you need to build; where you can get by with other cheaper means, you need to make do with these means. A bridge, tunnel, embankment to Sakhalin is not the first need, because the construction of more necessary strategic routes in the Far East awaits. The construction of a regular ferry crossing to Sakhalin with a sufficient number of heavy-duty ferries is necessary; these ferries can be used in different directions of the Pacific region, to Magadan, Vladivostok to Kamchatka. It is much cheaper and is a mobile resource; with changing needs, a wide range of maneuvers is possible. The Pacific region is expecting big shocks (USA-China), so we need to prepare, a mobile large fleet of ferries will be very useful.
  1. Vladimir Tuzakov
    
    +1
    
    1 October 2023 20: 22
    
    Addition. Heavy-duty ferries (with the ability to transport wagons) are essentially UDCs for civilian use. It is necessary to build not UDCs, but universal ferries, to be used as ferries in peacetime, and, if necessary, to be mobilized, just as the entire civilian fleet is mobilized for defense needs. About bridges and embankments on Sakhalin today is not realistic for many reasons and needs to be postponed for the future; tunnels are generally not suitable for the seismicity of the region. If you have rupees or yuan, order ferries with them, because you need dozens of them.
    1. DO
      
      +3
      
      2 October 2023 00: 22
      
      Vladimir Tuzakov, you absolutely correctly mentioned the needs of defense.
      Because in the event of a military conflict in the region, the discussed super-expensive bridge will become a priority target.
      Such excessively expensive infrastructure projects with an eye on the long term are good in calmer times.
      As for logistics from the continent to Sakhalin, it certainly needs to be developed, but in proportion to today’s needs and their deadlines.
prior

+5

1 October 2023 10: 45

If Russia has accumulated a lot of yuan as a result of imbalances in trade with China, then why not hire a Chinese company to build the Sakhalin bridge with these yuan?
Moreover, Chinese builders have experience in constructing such structures.
Flight

0

1 October 2023 11: 57

During the perestroika years they talked about the beginning of the construction of a tunnel to Sakhalin under Comrade Stalin, now about the bridge. Judging by the difficulties in operating the Crimean bridge, it is necessary to dig a tunnel to Sakhalin, and not a metro in Moscow.
1. Cetron
  
  +1
  
  1 October 2023 12: 06
  
  Sakhalin is an earthquake-prone region. The bridge can be restored, but what about the tunnel?
Flight

+3

1 October 2023 12: 00

Quote: prior
If Russia has accumulated a lot of yuan as a result of imbalances in trade with China, then why not hire a Chinese company to build the Sakhalin bridge with these yuan?
Moreover, Chinese builders have experience in constructing such structures.

Yes, of course, why bother - training specialists, materials, social services for builders. And so they squeezed out the money and ordered it from the Chinese. Beauty! The Koreans are absolutely beautiful.
1. prior
  
  +2
  
  2 October 2023 08: 52
  
  If they build their own, the construction time will at least double and the price will triple.
  No one has abolished corruption in Russia yet. You don't get shot for stealing billions.
Pembo

+3

1 October 2023 12: 26

Rail transport means passengers and cargo. Traveling from Sakhalin to Sochi by train for ten days there and ten days back is quite an adventure. Those. I don’t see an alternative to air transport in railway transport. Loads. The cheapest type of cargo transportation is sea. True, not all ports of Sakhalin are year-round, but in the south they are year-round, for example Kholmsk. Yes, transshipment of cargo wagon - hold - wagon and along the Sakhalin Railway certainly complicates transportation, but does it increase the cost? Does the country now have funds for a project that is more of an image project than an urgently needed one? In addition, the project of a bridge across the Lena near Yakutsk is currently being implemented, which is very complex and expensive. The bridge to Sakhalin will be postponed until better times.
vlad127490

0

1 October 2023 12: 48

A bridge to Sakhalin is needed both by railway and road. The question comes down to money, but there is no money. So they begin to invent all sorts of excuses. There is a need to build a high-speed railway and a high-speed four-lane Moscow-Vladivostok highway. No money left. People don’t want to live in the Far East; everyone goes to the European part of the Russian Federation. The first reason is transport isolation from the center and also astronomical ticket prices. The climate and living conditions in southern Sakhalin are not that bad.
bobba94

+4

1 October 2023 21: 14

The population of Crimea is 2 million people. Crimea was an all-Union resort, now it has become an all-Russian resort. Crimea's strategically superior position on the Black Sea is obvious. Therefore, the Crimean Bridge had to be built no matter what.
The population of Sakhalin is 460 thousand people. The mines are closed, the timber industry enterprises are closed, there are no fishermen either in Poronaysk or in Nevelsk, everyone has gone to Primorye. Oil and gas are loaded into tankers and gas carriers directly at the site of production or processing (oil platforms in the north, Korsakov LNG). In short, building a bridge on Sakhalin is just a show off.....
1. unparalleled
  
  +1
  
  2 October 2023 00: 28
  
  what is the superior position of Crimea then? We do not live in the 17th century, technology has completely nullified your brilliant arguments about the location, and if the arguments are about damned Nat, then Turkey and Romania sends warm greetings, they have very good access to the Czech Republic.
Alexey Lan

+2

1 October 2023 22: 31

The island's population currently amounts to about 450 thousand people, who are in almost complete transport isolation from the continental part of the Russian Federation.

What kind of transport isolation are we talking about? Cargoes are moving, although with transshipment. People go on vacation and fly to their mother-in-law for pancakes and definitely won’t go by train for several days. There is no need to exaggerate the problem. And the population is less than half a million. It’s interesting that they changed the railway gauge to Russian standard. This is more urgent, otherwise railway cars cannot travel uninterruptedly from the mainland and around the island. Railway tracks and ferries are what you need to do.
1. Viktor Anufriev
  
  +1
  
  2 October 2023 10: 15
  
  About ordinary isolation. For example, when you cannot leave the island during a storm or bad weather.
Disinfo

-1

1 October 2023 22: 48

I bet Russia could get Japan to fund their side of the bridge by giving them the 4 useless islands they want. Also, Sakhalin is a treasure trove of minerals and other natural deposits, so a train bridge between it and the coast IS an asset, regardless of whether it's connected to Japan or not.
Flight

0

2 October 2023 03: 02

Quote: Cetron
Sakhalin is an earthquake-prone region. The bridge can be restored, but what about the tunnel?

This does not stop Rosatom from building nuclear units.
1. Vladimir Tuzakov
  
  0
  
  4 October 2023 11: 50
  
  Replica. A nuclear power plant and a tunnel are two very different things. There are many nuclear power plants in seismic zones, for example the Armenian nuclear power plant. On the ground, buildings with anti-seismic structures are possible, but underground this is impossible.
Flight

+1

2 October 2023 03: 07

Quote: bobba94
The population of Crimea is 2 million people. Crimea was an all-Union resort, now it has become an all-Russian resort. Crimea's strategically superior position on the Black Sea is obvious. Therefore, the Crimean Bridge had to be built no matter what.
The population of Sakhalin is 460 thousand people. The mines are closed, the timber industry enterprises are closed, there are no fishermen either in Poronaysk or in Nevelsk, everyone has gone to Primorye. Oil and gas are loaded into tankers and gas carriers directly at the site of production or processing (oil platforms in the north, Korsakov LNG). In short, building a bridge on Sakhalin is just a show off.....

That's the whole difference between an aborigine and a huckster. Of course, it’s better to spend the money on a Lamborghini, so quick show-offs will be appreciated, and who will see the bridge except the aborigines.
Flight

0

2 October 2023 03: 10

Quote: Cetron
Sakhalin is an earthquake-prone region. The bridge can be restored, but what about the tunnel?

However, this does not stop Rosatom from building nuclear units.
Flight

-1

2 October 2023 04: 19

Quote: vlad127490
A bridge to Sakhalin is needed both by railway and road. The question comes down to money, but there is no money. So they begin to invent all sorts of excuses. There is a need to build a high-speed railway and a high-speed four-lane Moscow-Vladivostok highway. No money left. People don’t want to live in the Far East; everyone goes to the European part of the Russian Federation. The first reason is transport isolation from the center and also astronomical ticket prices. The climate and living conditions in southern Sakhalin are not that bad.
Yuri Bryanskiy

0

2 October 2023 05: 49

The bridge definitely needs to be built. There will be a great synergistic effect. But we need to create an effective financial control system; there are plenty of nits at the top.
Henchman_bedlam

-3

2 October 2023 06: 58

It is necessary to build, this is clear, the question regarding transit to Japan is correctly raised, but attention is incorrectly focused on the current political situation in which it is supposedly impossible to agree on transit, the bridge would create the prerequisites for dialogue, direct economic benefit, these are not hypothetical arguments, this is a guide to action, accordingly, the bridge’s existence can change the entire geopolitical alignment in the region.
1. strange guest
  
  0
  
  2 October 2023 20: 56
  
  Conduct a dialogue with sodomites and perverts? You're crazy. Here recently they said something about the Japs on Channel One - it makes your hair stand on end!
Larix

+2

2 October 2023 10: 57

Does Russia have many ice-free ports in the Far East? The southern and southwestern ports of Sakhalin are ice-free. Even in Vladivostok, the Amur and Ussuri Bays freeze. If we think like this, then how can we develop the Far East? And how is Russia going to turn to the Azat-Pacific region? Even if he doesn’t want to lay infrastructure to his ice-free ports.
Flight

0

5 October 2023 23: 57

Quote: Vladimir Tuzakov
Replica. A nuclear power plant and a tunnel are two very different things. There are many nuclear power plants in seismic zones, for example the Armenian nuclear power plant. On the ground, buildings with anti-seismic structures are possible, but underground this is impossible.

Yes, no one will build anything here, and if they do, it will only be for the sake of one thing - the development of money, the eastern one is your example.