Ocean-going vehicles carrier Durban Highway from the port of Nagoya called today, Oct. 14, at the Russian port of Ust-Luga. The ship laden with 2,688 autos of Toyota and Lexus carmakers docked at Ust-Luga multipurpose terminal ‘Yug-2’, the JSC Ust-Luga said Friday.
The ship is the first of three ocean-going ships that are expected at the port this October and November. The ship arrival directly from Japan is associated with a surge in Toyota car supplies in Russia. Since now, the line will be served by feeder vessels and ocean-going ships.
MV Grand Mercury was the first ocean-going ship that arrived at the port of Ust-Luga on October 18, 2010.
Multipurpose Terminal Yug-2 is able to handle rolling cargoes, including new imported cars, containers and general cargo. Currently, the terminal handles autos of major Asian carmakers, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru and Lexus.
In January-September 2011 the terminal offloaded 86 977 vehicles, up 2.4 times from a year earlier.
Port of Ust-Luga is located on Russia’s border with the EU. Now, Rosmorport is implementing the port’s dredging project to deepen the harbor and a 3.7km approach canal to 17.5 meters. Besides, Rosmorport plans to have the second approach canal completed by the end of this year. This will enable the port to accommodate 75,000dwt bulk carriers, 120,000dwt tankers and make it the major Russian port on the Baltic Sea. Today, the port has six fully operating terminals (nine more to be commissioned soon). Overall, there will be 19 terminals commissioned by 2018.In 2010, the port of Ust-Luga handled 11.8 million tons and 65,500 imported vehicles. Ust-Luga annual throughput may increase to 180 million tons by 2018.