Repatriation of cargo flow
Ports of Ukraine and the Baltic states saw further decline of Russian cargoes last year. Their share in foreign trade turnover of Russia was 1.7 percentage points down to 13.3%. Ukraine can loose all of them in the nearest future.
Where does cargo flow
Transshipment of Russia’s foreign trade cargo via domestic and foreign ports was 1.9% up in 2013 to 674 mln t with Russian harbours accounting for 87.4%, up 1.7% to 589.2 mln t.
It is well known that Russia has set itself a task to reduce dependence on the foreign ports of the Baltic states and Ukraine by partial shifting of cargo flow to domestic harbours. Recent years were a success for Russia in this respect amid the launch of new port facilities and improvement of border and customs procedures. In 2013, transshipment of Russia’s foreign trade cargo via the ports of the Baltic states and Ukraine declined by 10.3% to 84.8 mln t accounting for 13.3% of total foreign trade turnover of Russia. In 2012 it accounted for 15% and in 2011 – 17.1%.
Transshipment of liquid bulk cargo in foreign ports fell by 0.66 percentage points to 13.29%, coal – by 4.65 percentage points to 19.92%, mineral fertilizers – by 7.63 percentage points to 39.2%, grain – by 6 percentage points to 2.99%. However, the share of metals increased by 0.77 percentage points to 10.58% with the 840,000-tonne increase in the Baltic states which is not essential for the general statistics.
Baltic blow
Major “blow” on the Baltic neighbors has been delivered by Ust-Luga by launching new terminals taking over primarily oil products and coal from the foreign ports.
The development of container terminals (at Big Port St. Petersburg and Ust-Luga) has also influenced redirection of cargo flows. Besides, new container and ro-ro cargo terminal being built in Saint-Petersburg (Bronka terminal) will also facilitate the shifting of these high-yield cargoes to Russia.
Port Vysotsk is worthy of special mention as it has been building up its coal transshipment capacity. With the ability to handle Panamaх vessels, Port Vysotsky LLC has obtained a possibility to compete with foreign coal terminals and to expand its geographic footprint. Read more about the development of port Vysotsk in new edition of Port Service journal (available at the editors office of IAA PortNews >>>> ).
Ukraine falling to zero level
As for Ukraine, the share of this country in total turnover of Russia’s foreign trade cargo is very low already, down to only 3%.
Besides from Russian cargoes as such, Ukraine is also loosing transit. According to preliminary data, transit of Kazakh oil via the ports of Ukraine plunged 3 times last year, oil products – by about 20%. It is explained by the unification of transit tariffs within the customs union of Russia, Balarus and Kazakhstan as well as by the launch of Tamanneftegaz terminal at port Taman. Hence, liquid bulk cargo was lost by Ukrainian ports of Odessa and Feodosia.
Moreover, when dry cargo district is put into operation at port Taman Ukraine can loose more cargoes. Kazakh investors are also interested in it as they wish to use this port as transit point for transfer of its oil products, grain, sulphur and metals.
So the share of Ukraine in total volume of Russia’s foreign trade cargo can near zero level and the transit of Kazakhstan is likely to be lost as well.
According to the strategy for the development of port infrastructure in Russia till 2030 (elaborated by FSUE Rosmorport), the share of foreign ports in total transshipment of Russia’s foreign trade cargo via port facilities should be reduced to 5% and less by that time. However, the strategy authors do not consider it reasonable to reduce this share to the zero level or near it as transshipment of some volumes via foreign ports can be more profitable than construction of new facilities and could ensure the reserve for possible peak loads.
Nevertheless, political instability in Ukraine and “tariff wars” with the Baltic states necessitate autarky in port sector.
Vitaly Chernov