Russian seaports’ 5-month throughput down 6% to 213,1 million tons
Total cargo throughput of all Russian ports in January-May, 2011 slightly fell 0.6% from 2010’s figures, to 213,1 million tons, the Association of Commercial Sea Ports (ASOP) reported.
ASOP said the volume decline was caused primarily by grain export ban (-7,8m tons), a 14-percent reduction of ferrous metals, fertilizer (-3.6%) and timber cargo (-13%). However, in the reporting period the country’s ports handled 85,9m tons of dry bulk cargoes, 1% more than a year earlier. The figure includes: 31 million tons of coal (+15%), containerized cargo – 15,9 million tons (+23.5%), ore – 3,3 million tons (an increase of 1,7 times), unitized cargo – 2,6 million tons (an increase of 2.5 times), sugar cargo - 1.4 million tons (+20.7%). Shipment of scrap metal surged by 45.2% to 1,3 million tons.
Handling of liquid bulk fell 1.6% to 127,2 million tons, including crude oil – by 4.5% to 83,3 million tons, while petroleum products exports rose 4.4% to 43,3 million tons.
Overall, exports were down 3.4% to 161.7 million tons, imports rose 34% 19,1 million tons, transit cargo increased by 16.2% to 21,4 million tons, short sea traffic volume dropped 23.8% to10,9 million tons.
The stevedore companies operating at marine terminals of the Arctic Basin handled 18,2 million tons, down17.4% from a year before. Dry bulk cargoes rose 1.8% to 8,7 million tons. Handling of liquid bulk fell to 9.5 million tons (-29.6%). The cargo volume slumped at nearly all ports of the region: Belokamenka FSO: down 41.2%, Varandey (-37.3%), port Vitino (-3.4%), while the port of Arkhangelsk posted a 5.1-percent gain, the port of Kandalaksha – a 10.5-percent increase.
Cargo throughput of the Baltic Basin’s seaports rose during the 5-month period by 5.9% to 73,6 million tons. Dry bulk was up 13.8% to 27,7 million tons, liquid bulk – to 45,9 million tons (+1.7%). The regional ports’ output was fueled by increased cargo volumes handled at Big Port St. Petersburg (+8.3%) - 22,6 million tons, at the port of Ust-Luga - a 1.6 times growth to 6,9 million tons and the Port Vysotsky – up 1.3% to 5,9 million tons. Port of Kaliningrad’s throughput fell by 5.2-percent.
The ports of the Black Sea ports handled 66 million tons of different cargoes, 7.2% below last year's figure. Dry bulk cargo decreased by 18.6% to 19,5 million tons, liquid bulk - by 1.3% to 46,5 million tons. Port of Novorossiysk (-7.7%) to 47 million tons, Kavkaz (-31.1%) to 2,5 million tons, Rostov (-11.8%) to 2,5 million tons, throughput of Azov port dipped 49.4% to 0,9 million tons. However, there were positive results at port of Taganrog (+22.6% to 1,2m tons) and Port of Temryuk (+31.7% to 1 m tons). Freight turnover at the port of Tuapse remained at the level of last year.
The Caspian Sea ports handled 4,2 million tons, 1,8 percent down from a year earlier: dry cargo – 2,3 million tons (-10.7%), liquid bulk - 1.9 million tons (+12.1%). Port of Makhachkala reported a 7.2-percent gain to 2,2 million tons. The port of Astrakhan handled 1,7m tons of cargo (-8.8%).
Freight traffic volume passing through the ports of The Pacific Basin in five recent months increased by 7.6% to 51 million tons, Dry cargo – 27,6 million tons (+8.1%), liquid bulk – 23,4 million tons (+7%). Port Vostochny (including output of Kozmino Oil Terminal) increased cargo handling by 14.6% to 15,8 million tons, Port Vanino - by 7.1%, to 8 million tons, Port Vladivostok – by 4.5%, to 4,8 million tons, De Castries – by 26.4%, to 3,7 million tons, Port Prigorodny - by 3.8% to 7,3 million tons. Throughput of the port of Nakhodka shrank by 3.8% to 6,6 million tons, Port Posiet - by 7.3% to 1,1 million tons.
Russian Association of Commercial Sea Ports (ASOP) was founded in 1987. Currently ASOP unites more than 50 Russian organizations and enterprises of maritime transport. The Association includes commercial sea ports, forwarding and agency companies, research institutes and maritime transport schools. The outcome data of the Russian port complex is based on statistical reports, covering all stevedoring companies operating in the country.