Sun. Sea. Networking.

The word "networking" is rapidly gaining popularity in modern society. Networking means building long-term, trust-based, and mutually beneficial relationships with people and companies in order to effectively solve personal and business problems.

One approach to networking is based on the theory of six handshakes, which was developed in America by sociologist Stanley Milgram and psychologist Jeffrey Travers in the 1960s. According to this theory, all people on the planet are in each other’s extended circle of acquaintances – only five or six people away from knowing each other directly. Competent networking opens up opportunities for development and prosperity. And it does so naturally, as new business acquaintances, meetings, communication, and exchanges of experience form the foundation for successful business and professional growth in any industry.

AsstrA experts believe that to maintain a high level of ongoing professional development, it is necessary to exchange ideas and experiences constantly with other market players. Therefore, AsstrA employees actively participate in industry conferences, forums, and other similar events. The first month of the summer proved to be fruitful and rich in industry events that AsstrA could not but visit.

In early June, several of the company's specialists visited the 2018 Argus Bulk Cargo Transportation and Logistics Conference. It was held in sunny Gelendzhik in southern Russia.

The key topics of the conference were the possibilities of the existing port infrastructure of the Azov-Black Bea basin, as well as the transportation, storage and logistics considerations of the raw materials making up the region’s primary exports. The participants of the event also discussed the expansion of railway infrastructure to the ports of the Azov-Black Sea basin. A visit to a construction site where a company called OTEKO is building a bulk cargo terminal completed the conference. Argus conference attendees received a special tour of the facility.

AsstrA General Cargo Transportation Department Head of Oleg Sysolyatin observed:

"The construction of the new bulk cargo terminal made a great impression on us. The commissioning of the new facility will significantly increase the capacity of the port and will provide supply chain participants with access to another deep-sea port in the South of Russia. The sea port in Taman will probably be among the five largest cargo ports in Russia. In addition, the format of the tour created a pleasant atmosphere conducive to informal and friendly communication with potential Partners and customers."

The next important event in which AsstrA group experts took part was the 5th International Black Sea - Caspian Transport Forum. In the largest port city of Georgia, Batumi, on June 11 and 12, representatives of ports, terminals, road carriers, freight forwarders, logistics companies, and cargo owners gathered together to discuss transport logistics in the Azov-Black Sea and Caspian regions.

"The forum’s program was rich and informative. We discussed leading issues such as the construction of a new deep-sea port in Anaklia, which will offer a more budget-friendly alternative to express trains from China. Events like these provide an opportunity to look at a particular development from the point of view of all supply chain participants. Additionally, attending the forum were not only Black Sea port leaders but also Georgian Railways representatives. Therefore, a deep dialogue on the logistics of bulk cargo – which accounts for the majority of the region’s port shipping volume – supported an alliance of railway and sea transport players. AsstrA is a large logistics provider, and it was valuable for us – and for the AsstrA Fertilizer Logistics Division in particular – to see the infrastructure of the port firsthand and to assess all the possibilities of routes that we are working on for our customers right there on the spot, " AsstrA Industry Development Manager Svetlana Palkina noted.