March 14 -- Astrakan is ready to become the headquarters of the Caspian Shipbuilding Center, declared Alexander Zhilkin, governor of the Astrakhan region.

According to А.Zhilkin, 16 Astrakhan's shipyards doubled their output. "Due to the great prospects of oil production on the Caspian Shelf there is an opportunity for new development", - explained the governor. "In the USSR all drilling rigs operated on the Caspian shelf were built by the Astrakhan shipyards. Now, after 15 years, the shipbuilding industry is being reorganized," - pointed out A.Zhilkin.

As the press-service of the governor said, Astrakhan specialist have already begun to work out a project to establish the Caspian Shipbuilding Center. In February Viktor Khristenko, head of the RF Ministry of Industry and Energy, said that there is a great need for such a center.

By experts' forecast, by the year of 2024 the total volume of investments in the Caspian offshore projects can reach the point of $100 bn. The Astrakhan authorities suggest some measures to increase oil production volume by 10 times hereby Russian shipbuilders could earn about $150 mn annually.