Cargo traffic at Taganrog Commercial Seaport (TCSP) in the first quarter of 2012 totaled 197,000 tons, which is a 34-percent slump from the same period a year ago, the Company said on Wednesday.
Handling of imports plummeted by 77% to 23,000 tons, exports were down 3% to 174,000 tons.
The volume of bulk cargo, which accounts for 67% of freight flows passing through the port, shrank by 28% to 131,000 tonnes. In particular, the port saw a 41-percent decline in coal exports, to 102,000 tons and a threefold drop in ore cargo, to 6,000 tons.
General cargo volume slumped as much as five times to 7,000 tons, handling of metals reduced by 34% to 5,700 tons.
Container traffic fell 8% to 2,200 TEUs. Shipments of liquid bulk rose 5% to 44,800 tons.
In January-March Taganrog Commercial Seaport handled 3,172 rail cars and 56 ships.
The first-quarter throughput decline was attributed primarily to heavy ice conditions in the Sea of Azov in February-March.
JSC Taganrog Commercial Seaport is the main stevedoring company of the port of Taganrog, which operates at Births Number 1- 5, 7-8. The main shareholder of TCSP is UCL Port, a stevedoring division of UCL Holding, controlling scores of stevedoring assets in the South and the North-West of Russia.