▁total ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁cargo ▁was ▁moved ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁to ▁the ▁west : ▁namely , ▁ 7 . 2 0 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁were ▁transport ed ▁through ▁the ▁canal ▁from ▁the ▁Vol ga / C asp ian ▁bas in ▁to ▁the ▁Don / Se a ▁of ▁Az ov / Black ▁Sea ▁bas in , ▁and ▁only ▁ 0 . 8 5 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁in ▁the ▁opposite ▁direction . ▁Just ▁over ▁half ▁of ▁all ▁cargo ▁was ▁oil ▁or ▁oil ▁products ▁( 4 . 1 4 ▁million ▁t onnes ), ▁pre domin antly ▁sh ipped ▁from ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁region . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁reported ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁ 5 5 ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁canal ' s ▁operations ▁ 4 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁vessels ▁had ▁passed ▁through ▁carrying ▁ 3 3 6 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁of ▁cargo . ▁Rec ent ▁cargo ▁volume ▁stood ▁at ▁ 1 2 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁a ▁year . ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , the ▁core ▁of ▁Bel arus ian ▁nuclear ▁power ▁plant , ▁V VER - 1 2 0 0 , ▁which ▁the ▁ 3 3 0 - ton ne , ▁ 1 3 - meter ▁high , ▁ 4 . 5 ▁meters ▁diameter , ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁its ▁destination ▁by ▁explo iting ▁T sim ly ansk ▁Res er voir , ▁the ▁Vol ga - Don ▁Canal , ▁the ▁Vol ga – B alt ic ▁Water way ,