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OmniTRAX Inc. and Churchill Gateway Development Corp. executives expect to reap benefits from a recent Russian trade mission. In January, the execs spent 10 days in the country meeting representatives from private and public trade organizations to identify joint import and export opportunities between the Port of Churchill in Hudson Bay, Manitoba, and Russian ports in Murmansk and St. Petersburg.

The result: Russian firms could export fertilizers and steel to Canada through the Churchill port, and import Canadian grain and agricultural machinery through the Russian ports.

The Churchill, Murmansk and St. Petersburg ports would form an “Arctic Bridge” offering a shorter shipping distance compared with existing routes. OmniTRAX is developing an Arctic Bridge Web site (www.arcticbridge.com) and marketing campaign to generate business between the ports.

“All these possible Russian trade opportunities are accompanied by significant logistical and market challenges, including the possibility of investment in new types of facilities at Churchill in order to handle the specific needs of the individual commodities,” said OmniTRAX Managing Director Mike Ogborn in a prepared statement.

Owner of 18 U.S. and Canadian short lines, OmniTRAX operates the 810-mile Hudson Bay Railway, which serves the Churchill port.