Amur River shipping revival aims to restore Soviet-era trade routes by 2025

Plans to revive shipping along the Amur River are gaining momentum as regional leaders push for greater freight traffic. The once-busy waterway, now operating at a fraction of its past capacity, could soon reconnect key industrial hubs in Russia and China. Officials from both sides have scheduled talks to explore new shipping agreements and infrastructure upgrades.

In 1989, the Amur River handled over 32 million tons of cargo, but by 2025, that figure had plummeted to just 2 million tons—only 6% of its Soviet-era peak. The decline has prompted action, with Governor Dmitry Demeshin outlining a strategy to restore the river’s role as a vital trade route. The waterway’s potential remains significant, offering links between Chinese industrial centres, Khabarovsk’s ports, and trans-Pacific shipping lanes.

Efforts to boost traffic include an interregional programme focused on modernising infrastructure and upgrading the shipping fleet. Key ports in the Khabarovsk Advanced Development Territory are also advancing investment projects to support growth. The region’s port network stretches from Khabarovsk and Nikolayevsk-on-Amur to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Vanino, and across the border to China’s Fuyuan and Tongjiang hubs. Further progress is expected this autumn when the Transport Cooperation Subcommission meets in Khabarovsk. Heilongjiang Province has also proposed forming a bilateral working group on shipping, with discussions set for September. Meanwhile, the Khabarovsk Shipyard is preparing to launch a high-speed passenger vessel in 2025, signalling broader plans to expand river transport.

The revival of Amur shipping could strengthen trade ties between Russia and China while unlocking new economic opportunities. With infrastructure upgrades, fleet modernisation, and cross-border cooperation underway, the river’s role as a commercial artery may soon expand. Officials aim to rebuild capacity and restore the Amur’s position as a key transport corridor.