OREANDA-NEWS. Caspian Pipeline Consortium on July 23 handed over to Novorossiysk 9 new passenger buses under the Company's community-related programs.

A formal ceremony was held to put the buses into operation was attended by first deputy city mayor Igor Dyachenko, CPC deputy general director for Russian government relations Alexei Khardykin, city administration departmental representatives and other officials.

The modern comfortable buses, model MAZ 226063, are designed for suburban commuting. Each bus can carry a total of 59 passengers, all seats are equipped with safety belts, and the passenger cabins are air-conditioned and equipped with an electronic firefighting system.

Igor Dyachenko thanked CPC represented by Alexei Khardykin for this gift, reminding everybody that six months before the city's trolleybus fleet had already been expanded with new vehicles thanks to the Company, and also highlighted the consortium's significant contribution to developing the city's infrastructure and cooperation in various areas for many years. The company has implemented a number of community-related projects for a total of over RUR 400 million rubles in Novorossiysk and nearby settlements since 2000 through 2014.

In his turn Alexei Khardykin commented that CPC always tries to accommodate the needs of the local community while implementing its community-related programs in the regions. He wished the management of the bus fleet station for the vehicles to be operated safely while wishing the city's residents good luck and the green light at all of Novorossiysk crossroads

At the conclusion of the event the VIP guests to the ceremony handed over ignition keys for the buses to drivers assigned by the Novorossiysk Bus company led by director Sergei Tikhonov, cut a symbolic ribbon and personally made sure the modern buses meet all safety requirements and have everything necessary inside them for future passengers to travel in comfort.

CPC pipeline system is one of the largest investment projects in the energy industry with participation of foreign capital on the CIS territory. The length of the pipeline connecting the oil fields in Western Kazakhstan with the Marine Terminal near Novorossiysk is 1,511 km. CPC Marine Terminal is equipped with single point moorings which allow for safe tanker lifting at a considerable distance from the shore, also when the weather conditions are unfavorable.

The Expansion Project includes rehabilitation of 5 existing and construction of 10 additional pump stations (2 in the Republic of Kazakhstan and 8 in the Russian Federation), six new storage tanks (100,000 cu.m each) in addition to the existing four near Novorossiysk and a third SPM at the CPC Marine Terminal, and also the replacement of an 88 km pipeline section in Kazakhstan with a larger diameter pipe. The total amount of the Project investments will be USD 5.4 billion.