The nickel tour over, the Russian guests head home.

Prince Rupert has finished playing host to a delegation from Vanino, Russia. The group came across the Pacific to learn more about the infrastructure in place in Prince Rupert and what is planned for the future.

From Ridley Island to Fairview Port and points along the way, the four visitors from Vanino discovered just what is making Rupert tick and what is hoped to keep the clock ticking into the future.

They met with officials from Maher Terminals and sat in at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon to learn more about WestPac’s plans for its LNG plant at Ridley Island.

The Daily News captured their final day with city officials and recorded the occasion in Friday’s paper, reproduced below.

CITY LINKS AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIAN PORT
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, June 23, 2006
Page Two

The city of Prince Rupert has signed an agreement with the Russian delegation from the port city of Vanino that lays out a protocol to develop a future relationship.

“We hope this is a first step. It’s a little one but in a big way,” said Mayor Bogdan Musyanovich of Vanino at a signing ceremony at city hall on Wednesday.

“We hope to establish a relationship in business, culture, sport, in any field ... for the interests of the population of both countries.”

The Vanino delegation, which included the mayor and deputy mayor as well as mayor’s secretary and economic development officer, spent three days earlier this week touring Prince Rupert and the port facilities.

Vanino, a city of 40,000 people which sits on an inlet on the eastern coast of Russia, exports coal, fish and other metals.

They are currently building a new coal-handling facility to meet growing demands in Asian markets.

Like Prince Rupert, the eastern port city also sits on an underutilized rail head leading into Russia and hopes to increase its role as an international port.

Prince Rupert was the only Canadian city on the west coast which the delegation visited.

“T his is a sign of our potential,” said Jim Rushton of the Prince Rupert, Port Edward Economic Development Commission.

“There’s a growing awareness of the North Pacific in the world. It’s really coming into its own.”

The Vanino delegation also attended a chamber of commerce luncheon to hear speakers from WestPac Terminals of Calgary talk about the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas import terminal on Ridley Island.

They also had the opportunity to meet representatives from Maher Terminals, a New Jersey based company that will be the operator of the new Fairview Container Terminal.

“This agreement between the two cities is really a road map for how we can develop a relationship,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.

“We really appreciate you taking the first step and coming here.”