Cargo throughput of Port of Ust-Luga in January-March, 2011 increased by 14% compared with the same period last year to 2,69 million tons, the Port Authority reports.
Exports of coal and coke dropped by 8% to 1,72 million tons, while the three-month volume of ferrous metals grew by 19% to 125,400 tons. The volume of timber shrank by 36% to 23,500 of tons, shipment of ferry cargoes also dropped 27% to 146,100 tons. The port handled 476,200 tons of exported petroleum products.
Port of Ust-Luga is located on Russia’s border with the EU. Its 16-m deep harbor and a short 3.7-km approach canal make Ust-Luga the major Russian port on the Baltic Sea capable of accommodating 75,00dwt bulkers and 120,000dwt tankers. Upon completion of the port’s expansion Ust Luga port will become the terminus of the Baltic Pipeline System 2 (BPS-2). The launch of bunkering facility associated with the BPS2 is scheduled for 2012. The port’s capacity is expected to increase up to 180 million tons of cargo a year by 2018.
In 2010, cargo throughput of Ust-Luga rose year-over-year by 13.7% to 11,78m tons.