Despite the measures taken by the government, the rise in prices for petroleum products continues to be seriously troubling business: the owners of river vessels asked the Russian president to solve this problem. According to their data, excise ship low-viscosity fuel has risen in price by 30%. The main blow fell on cruise companies that sell tickets for a year and a half and can not take into account the sharp price jumps. The industry fears that without support it will either have to raise tariffs, or wait for bankruptcies of ship owners.

The head of the Transport Union of Russia, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee for Transport and Construction, Vitaly Efimov, said on June 18 in a letter to Vladimir Putin about the critical state of the industry due to "unprecedented growth" in fuel prices. According to the union, fuel in the cost of transport is 30-50%. The price of aviation kerosene rose by 20% (for details, see "Kommersant" on June 21), the increase in prices for marine fuel amounted to 10-30%.

At the same time about 70% of river cruise ships are chartered by foreign tour agencies for a year and a half ahead and taking into account the previous prices of fuel. According to the results of navigation, shipping companies will be unprofitable, reports Mr. Efimov. "Critical position" and in the transport of goods, including the "river-sea" vessels in foreign navigation. Among the options for solving the problem, the union indicated an increase in tariffs for transportation by 20-30%, bankruptcy of enterprises or analysis in order to search for a certain "optimal balance of minimizing the negative effect" of fuel price hike.

According to "Kommersant", the average price of low-viscosity marine fuel in 2017 was 40.1 thousand rubles. per ton with excise tax and VAT. Now the direct suppliers of prices reach 51.5 thousand rubles. per ton, the forecast of the average fuel price for 2018 with excise and VAT - 50,8 thousand rubles. The head of the Russian Chamber of Shipping, Alexei Klyavin, notes that the issue must be resolved urgently, the reduction of excises (agreed by the government) does not save the capital-intensive shipping market, especially difficult for cruise companies.

Head of the Moscow River Shipping Company (MCI) Konstantin Anisimov called the increase in fuel prices "the last nail hammered into the coffin" of shipping companies. The increase in export duties for diesel fuel, the abolition of excise taxes or the increase in the refundable excise tax are discussed, and 8 thousand rubles are returned. per ton on ship low-viscous fuel from 55 thousand rubles. But with the increase in prices, it is necessary to raise the return to 20 thousand rubles, the top manager stressed.

Premier Dmitry Medvedev on June 22 announced his readiness to support compensation for losses of farmers, such decisions are needed for shipowners, Mr. Anisimov is sure. Maintenance of leasing payments for tankers of the MCI is unprofitable, he explained, sand transportation taking into account the price of fuel and stopping construction projects for the World Cup 2018 is unprofitable, the cruise fleet does not bring profit, as many tourists did not come because of the increase in the cost of tickets in connection with the championship. The company had to take one of the ships out of service, to transfer a number of cruise ships to domestic tourism at a loss to themselves.

Co-owner of the "Waterway", Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Russian Chamber of Shipping Rishat Bagautdinov said that the Chamber offered Rosturizmu to study the centralized promotion of cruise tours at the expense of the agency. Vessels are loaded on 75-80%, the growth of loading will allow to cover growth of the price of fuel, he believes. For "Vodokhod" additional costs have already exceeded 170 million rubles. According to Rishat Bagautdinov, to compensate the price of the tour per night it is necessary to increase by 2-2.5 thousand rubles, which is unrealistic. The source of Kommersant in the industry notes that a zero VAT rate for foreign tourists could become a measure of support.

Mikhail Turukalov from the "Analyst of commodity markets" says that the reasons for the increase in prices for ship low-viscosity fuel are similar to the situation with other oil products - tax maneuver, weak ruble and rising world prices. The measures that are being taken today for diesel fuel and gasoline should be extended to the market of marine fuel: "the more the goods will be on the domestic market, the lower the prices," the expert suggests. At the same time, the market is quite specific, therefore, to solve the problems of shipping companies at government meetings, the issue of rising prices for marine fuel should be considered separately, Mr. Turukalov believes.