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  • 2013 August 13

    Looking for a “public” terminal

    Subsequent to President Putin’s order to set up a “public” coal sea terminal which could serve any shipper in the Far East, a number of investors proposed their projects. However, there is such a terminal and it is already operational, quite successfully indeed.

    Coal is one of the key export cargoes of Russia. Wellbeing of certain regions, primarily Kuzbass, depends on successful functioning of this industry. With the major growth of the demand for liquid fuel in the Asia-Pacific Region, all Russian coal shippers should be provided with an unhampered access to export terminals. 

    As early as in January 2012, at the meeting dedicated to the development of coal industry held in Kemerovo and headed by Vladimir Putin, then Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, a task was set to look into the possibility of building a Far East sea terminal for coal transshipment available for average and small coal producers. The following locations were considered for a coal terminal capable of handling 20 mln t of cargo per year: Vanino, Nakhodka-Vostochnaya and Posiet.

    Nevertheless, statistics of coal shipments from Russia’s Far East ports suggests that Vostochny Port OJSC has for a long time been playing a role of a “public” terminal.  According to the analysis carried out by IAA PortNews on railway shipments of coal towards the Far East ports in January-June 2013, the following companies shipped coal via Vostochny Port: Kuzbassrazrezugol - 36%, SUEK - 18%, Sibuglemet - 15%, Stroiservis - 2%; other producers having no own port facilities in the Far East transshipped 29% of coal (Kuzbass Fuel Company, Russian Coal, UK Zarechnaya, Sibantratsit).  Total coal turnover of Vostochny Port OJSC is 17 mln t per year.

    In 2012 Vostochny Port OJSC commenced implementation of the project on construction of the third phase of coal complex which is to be put into operation in 2017. Throughput capacity of the facilities available for a wide range of cargo owners will be in creased to 24.5 mln t per year.

    The second largest coal terminal in the Far East is Daltransugol owned by SUEK (Muchke Bay, port Vanino). Its annual turnover is 17 mln t with 100% of cargo owned by SUEK itself.

    There are some minor terminals which also could be called “public” though their capacity is limited. Before being purchased by Mechel, Vanino Commercial Sea Port capable of handling 5 mln t per year provided its services to several companies: Sibuglemet, Sibantratsit and Stroiservis. However, after it was bought by Mechel in March 2013 the port began handling coal of this producer alone.

    Port Posiet with the similar capacity is also owned by Mechel and handles only Mechel coal.

    EVRAZ-NMTP (port Nakhodka) with annual throughput of 3 mln t could be called a diversified company. The share of Evraz coal accounts for 45%, Sibuglemet - 28%, Sibantratsit - 27%. 

    Besides, there are small private terminal in Nakhodka, like Astafiev Terminal, NBAMR, Geoport, DMM, Vostochnyje Vorota the capacity of which does not allow them be considered as “public” terminals though different companies ship coal via them. Coal terminal of Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company with annual turnover of 500,000 tonnes of cargo can also be included in this list.

    It should be reminded that the project being implemented in Sukhodol Bay (investor - Siberian Business Union) holds itself as a “public” terminal. The construction of the new specialized port on the Far East coast (port Sukhodol) is being performed in phases. Design throughput capacity of the port will make 20 mln t per year. The terminal will ensure round-the-year handling of a wide range of vessels. Read more >>>> 

    Vostochny Port and Sukhodol project do not contradict each other as both facilities will be in demand. 

    Vitaly Chernov

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