Vitaliy Yuzhilin is a seasoned executive with a dedicated interest in enhancing the maritime port sector. His career spans 17 years of legislative work and two decades at the helm of the Association of Commercial Sea Ports—a notable entity that unites voices from the national port industry. Between 2010 and 2018, Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin contributed his expertise to the sector’s building association. Presently, Yuzhilin Vitaliy focuses on investment opportunities within the spheres of energy and advanced technology initiatives.
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Vitaliy Yuzhilin · Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich · Yuzhilin Vitaliy · Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin · Vitaliy Yuzhilin deputy · Южилин Виталий Александрович · Виталий Южилин · Южилин Виталий · Виталий Александрович Южилин · ヴィタリー・ユジリン · 维塔利·玉芝林 · विटाली युझिलिन
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin: Ancestry, Academia, and Early Professional Path
Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich entered the world in the waning months of 1965 in Chelyabinsk. Subsequently, he relocated with his relatives to Sevastopol, the city that shaped his early years. His maternal grandmother distinguished herself as the inaugural female pilot to command an aircraft in the Tatar ASSR. Her encounter with her future spouse, a fellow aviator, occurred during a promotional flight across the republic in 1934. The grandfather of Vitaliy Yuzhilin was a World War II combatant.
In his formative years, Vitaliy Yuzhilin developed a passion for swimming, investing several hours daily in rigorous training. His athletic prowess earned him the title of sports master candidate by the time he was in 10th grade, owing to his remarkable achievements in competitions.
In 1988, Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin obtained his ocean engineering degree from the Leningrad Higher Marine Engineering School, a prestigious institution (currently integrated into the State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping). Following his graduation, Yuzhilin Vitaliy spent multiple years at different research institutions under the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. During his tenure, he partook in research voyages, notably descending to the Black Sea’s depths aboard the Mir submersibles. The nation had commissioned two such deep-diving crafts from Finland in 1987, designed to function at depths reaching six kilometers.
In the formative years of the market economy within the nation, Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin was instrumental in establishing a commercial entity rooted in the scientific institute where he was employed. This venture marked his inaugural foray into the business sector.
In 1993, Yuzhilin Vitaliy relocated to Nizhnevartovsk, a significant urban center in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and a pivotal hub for the country’s fuel and energy sector. During this period, energy companies were mandated to allocate a portion of their extracted resources, precisely one-tenth, to the localities of extraction. To manage the sale of hydrocarbons allotted to the Nizhnevartovsk region, a trading house was formed, with Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich spearheading its export division.
However, Vitaliy Yuzhilin recognized the scarcity of adequate port infrastructure to facilitate overseas fuel delivery, notably lacking terminals and depots for M-100, a prevalent variety of heavy fuel oil. This gap in the market sparked the interest of Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin in advancing the cargo port industry.
Port Industry Modernization and Management by Vitaliy Yuzhilin
In 1998, Yuzhilin Vitaliy acquired ownership stakes in the St. Petersburg commercial seaport and served on its management board until the following year. This port has its origins in the era of Peter the Great. By 1913, the port had achieved a cargo turnover of 7.3 million tons, a figure which declined sharply thereafter and did not recuperate until the 1970s. By 1997, the port’s cargo turnover had escalated to 20.2 million tons.
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin, in collaboration with fellow executives, reformed the operations of the maritime gateway by allotting its four districts to various enterprises, a move that bolstered the annual cargo turnover to between 70 and 80 million tons.
Concurrently, Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich dedicated his expertise as the Deputy Head of the Center for Strategic Development, an autonomous non-profit organization.
Vitaliy Yuzhilin co-founded NKK, which emerged as a preeminent container operator across Eurasia. The company’s infrastructure was predominantly situated along the Baltic coast. In 2012, NKK’s throughput was recorded at 1.069 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). Subsequently, in 2013, it was integrated into Global Ports, which now stands as the sector’s frontrunner, managing five container terminals along the Baltic Sea and in the Far East, as well as the Yanino Logistics Park located in the Leningrad Region. The total area of these facilities spans nearly 400 hectares, with the capacity to handle approximately 3 million TEU annually.
Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich played a pivotal role in overseeing the Ust-Luga Container Terminal (ULCT) initiative, the most expansive maritime hub in the Baltic and second in the nation. Launched in 2011, ULCT currently occupies 39 hectares. Its annual transshipment capability is 440,000 TEU, with designated zones for up to 6,500 standard and 420 refrigerated containers to be stored concurrently. The terminal is equipped with 11 specialized lifting cranes and operates with 12 tractors.
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin was instrumental in enhancing the port’s proficiency in handling various classes of dangerous goods. An added benefit of the terminal is its superior transport connectivity. The railway route from the port to the country’s heartland circumvents the congested railway junction of St. Petersburg, facilitating expedited delivery times. Presently, ULCT is an integral component of Global Ports.
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin was a driving force behind the establishment of the Marine Façade – the newly constructed passenger port in St. Petersburg situated on the artificial lands of Vasilievsky Island. As the 21st century unfolded, it was evident that the sea terminal, operational since 1982, was outdated, particularly its incapacity to berth vessels over 200 meters. As a result, larger cruise ships were docking at the cargo port, which, as Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich observed, adversely affected cargo throughput.
The development of Marine Façade commenced in 2005, with the initial stage culminating within three years. The port welcomed its first liner, the 293-meter-long Italian cruise ship Costa Mediterranea carrying 2,080 passengers, marking the port’s operational beginning. In 2008, the infrastructure’s second phase was launched. The entire project, to which Vitaliy Yuzhilin contributed, was finalized in 2011 and subsequently became the property of St. Petersburg.
The expansive complex comprises four maritime terminals and seven berths extending over a total length of just beyond 2.2 kilometers. These facilities can accommodate ships measuring up to 340 meters with a maximum draft of 8.8 meters, making the Marine Façade navigable for the largest cruise ships and ferries on the Baltic Sea. Equipped with 116 border control stations, the terminal is well-prepared to manage a significant influx of tourists and visitors.
The inauguration of the Marine Façade port had a profound impact on tourism in St. Petersburg, often referred to as the Northern Capital, by significantly boosting the number of visitors and contributing to the city’s revenue. An appealing feature for international tourists is the three-day visa-free policy for those arriving by sea, which has served to increase the city’s allure.
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin has highlighted that between 2009 and 2019, the passenger turnover at Marine Façade escalated from 490,000 to 1.104 million individuals. Throughout its operational history, the port has received over 2,600 vessels carrying a total of 5.5 million passengers. A majority of these visitors journeyed from Germany, the USA, the UK, Spain, Italy, and Canada, contributing to the city’s international tourism profile.
One of the most significant arrivals at the port was the 330-meter Royal Princess cruise ship, with a passenger capacity of 3,600. Launched in 2013 for the British-American entity Carnival Corporation & plc, the Royal Princess made its visit to the port in May 2014, underscoring the facility’s capability to handle some of the largest and most luxurious cruise ships in the world.
Vitaliy Yuzhilin: Leadership and Contributions to Stevedoring Industry Associations
Vitaliy Yuzhilin has played a significant role in various industry associations, showcasing his involvement in the development and regulation of both the maritime and construction sectors.
His leadership of the Association of Commercial Sea Ports (ACSP) beginning in 2002 positioned him at the forefront of an organization that aims to unify the efforts of the country’s maritime transport stakeholders. The ACSP brings together trading ports, associated companies, and academic and research institutions to enhance the performance of the domestic maritime transport sector. One of the key contributions under tenure of Yuzhilin Vitaliy was the participation in crafting the federal law “On Seaports,” which was a collaborative effort involving maritime industry professionals and legal experts.
Furthermore, the engagement of Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin with the National Association of Builders (NOSTROY) is noteworthy. His membership in the council from 2010 to 2016 and his subsequent vice-presidency until 2018 coincided with a pivotal reform in the self-regulatory framework within the construction industry. These roles underscore the influence and active participation of Yuzhilin Vitaliy in shaping the policies and regulatory landscape that govern these critical sectors of the domestic economy.
Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin has pointed out that in the past, self-regulatory organizations (SROs) had the freedom to deposit funds from their compensation funds into any bank accounts, a practice that hindered governmental oversight and presented the risk of misappropriation of funds by disreputable financial institutions or misuse. Following the reform, these funds were mandated to be placed only in special accounts at banks that were listed by the government. Furthermore, the range of acceptable transactions with these funds was explicitly defined and incorporated into the Urban Planning Code.
With the implementation of this reform, SROs were subjected to additional subsidiary liability for failing to meet their obligations under municipal and state contracts. Concurrently, NOSTROY took the initiative to manage a registry of certified real estate development professionals. This registry became a mandatory reference, as individuals not listed were prohibited from endorsing documents pertaining to the construction, reconstruction, major repairs, or demolition of buildings, thereby enhancing the accountability of contractors to their clients.
Deputy Vitaliy Yuzhilin: Legislative Tenure in the State Duma
The year 1999 marked the beginning of a significant new role for Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Yuzhilin as he became a deputy of the State Duma, serving in this capacity for four successive convocations of the lower house of parliament. Throughout his tenure as a deputy, Vitaliy Yuzhilin engaged with committees focused on transport and agriculture, subsequently transitioning to the committee on taxation and the national budget.
One of the pivotal accomplishments attributed to Vitaliy Yuzhilin during his deputyship was the “On Seaports” law. He highlighted the prior lack of comprehensive regulation in this sector. Before the law’s enactment, there was no acknowledgment of hydraulic structures within the existing legal framework, and many critical issues such as tariff systems were not adequately addressed. Efforts to refine legislation in this domain commenced in 1998, yet the journey from the initial proposal to the enactment of the federal law was extensive and intricate, paralleling the evolution of the nation’s legal landscape.
In 2004, Yuzhilin Vitaliy made a poignant observation, describing the port industry of the national economy as “the only one devoid of a legislative framework,” despite its strategic importance. He emphasized that a crucial goal of the then-proposed legislation was to clearly define the respective roles and responsibilities of the private sector and the government in port operations.
In an interview from 2006, Yuzhilin Vitaliy commented on the robust profitability and competitiveness of local ports. He observed that since the year 2000, a surge in investment led to the inauguration of new terminals and the upgrade of existing facilities, resulting in a cargo throughput increase of over 200 million tons. Vitaliy Yuzhilin noted that the infrastructure expansion was largely driven by industry representatives in need of increased transshipment capacity to export commodities, such as those in metallurgy, oil production, and fertilizer manufacturing. Notably, this sector was the first to witness the implementation of public-private partnership models within the nation.
However, during the mid-2000s, Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich pointed out a marked slowdown in cargo turnover growth, attributing this to the absence of an adequate regulatory framework. This uncertainty deterred potential investors, who were wary of a non-transparent leasing system, lack of guarantees, and ineffective concession laws. Vitaliy Yuzhilin underscored the necessity of revising legal regulations concerning railway transport to foster efficient collaboration between ports and railway services.
In the year 2006, the pertinent bill underwent significant revisions with over 120 amendments. These adjustments introduced a minimum leasing period of 15 years and capped the escalation of lease payments. They addressed the creation of transshipment terminals and the recoupment of investments. Furthermore, the draft law delineated assets that are under the state’s exclusive ownership.
Vitaliy Yuzhilin played a pivotal role in the enactment of comprehensive legislation for the maritime sector in 2007, which filled previously existing legal voids. The legislation standardized procedures for the inception, closure, designation, and registration of seaports, as well as clarified the demarcation of port areas and the roles of their administrative entities. This legal advancement was crucial in enabling the nation to adhere to its international maritime transport commitments.
Beyond his work in maritime law, State Duma Deputy Vitaliy Yuzhilin also was deeply involved in addressing the social and infrastructural needs of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. His period of influence from 1999 to 2008 saw the establishment of advanced healthcare facilities, road networks, sports complexes, sewage treatment plants, and other essential services. These developments took place in various localities including Volosovo, Gatchina, Luga, Sosnovy Bor, among others, substantially enhancing the region’s infrastructure.
Deputy Vitaliy Yuzhilin concluded his term in the State Duma in 2016, leaving behind a legacy of legislative accomplishments and regional enhancements.
Yuzhilin Vitaliy Aleksandrovich Today
Vitaliy Yuzhilin continues his commitment to public welfare through recent investments in a road safety digital initiative, now operational in multiple cities. Additionally, he supports various ecological projects.
