LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT AS A FACTOR INCREASING COMPETITIVE POSITIONS OF SHIPBUILDING ENTERPRISES ENTERING THE SHIPBUILDING CLUSTER OF THE ASTRAKHAN REGION
In view of the Caspian offshore development there appeared the problem to find an optimal method of conveying hydrocarbons from the extraction site to the main warehousing and transit hubs. The article shows the advantages of the Astrakhan region in transporting complex constructions for regular provision of oil and gas fields compared to possibilities of shipbuilding industries of other Caspian states: technologically, oil rigs can be delivered as soon as possible to any location in the Caspian sea shelf at little cost. Yet, current state of the water transport complex, and, primarily, transportation and logistics infrastructure in the Astrakhan Region without further improvement of objectives and rates of modernization, without proper maintenance of logistic and manufacturing processes can become a limiting factor for the social and economic development of the region, the Southern Federal District and the state, as a whole. It should be noted that implementing major investment projects on the development of abundant oil deposits by "LUKOIL" JSC in the Caspian Sea, and progressing of transmodal conveyance in the transport corridor "North-South" can become possible only if Volga-Caspian Sea Canal is effectively functioning. The article studies measures to cope with logistic limitations, comprehensive implementation of which will help to consolidate the position of the Astrakhan Region as a transport and logistic cluster in the Caspian Sea.