The Sevmash construction plant in Severodvinsk (Arkhangelsk region), supports the initiative, saying that Russian machinery producers should not be debarred from the Arctic shelf development, BarentsObserver reported. The Russian government has cut financing to the support programme “Development of advanced technology, machinery and equipment for offshore oil and gas exploitation on the Arctic continental shelf 2003-2012”. Sevmash, Zvezdochka and other companies fear domestic industry to be excluded from participation on the Arctic shelf, as it happened in the Sakhalin projects in the Russian Far East.

According to the President of the Union of Oil and Gas Machinery Producers Romanikhin, the decreased financial support from the government and Gazprom is a big mistake. Romanikhin has now requested mayor of Severodvinsk to write a letter of support to the leader of the Russian Northwestern Federal District.