Big Port St. Petersburg cargo volumes down 3% in H1
Cargo traffic at Big Port of St. Petersburg in the first half of 2012 fell 3% compared to the same period of 2011, to 27,686,100 tons, the Port Authority statistics said.
The six-month volume of general cargo was flat on last year’s numbers, at 7,086,400 tons, shipments of bulk cargo dropped 11% to 2,762,500 tons, liquid bulk volume shrank by 21% to 5,355,800 tons.
Handling of mineral fertilizers decreased by 3% to 2,382,700 tons, ore exports rose 15%, to 376,700 tons. In the reporting period the port’s terminal was not handling coal and coke. Shipments of ferrous metals increased by 7% to 2,485,100 tons. The half-year volume of non-ferrous metals soared 64%, 1,163,800 tons. Handling of reefer cargoes dropped by 37% to 972,700 tons. Half-year container traffic rose 6.7% to 11,723.6 TEUs.
Port of St. Petersburg is located on the islands of the delta of the Neva river, in the Neva Bay, the eastern tip of the Gulf of Finland. The Big Port St. Petersburg territory includes the Neva River delta and the Neva Bay, Kronstadt and dam structures protecting the city from floods. A fleet of icebreakers provide icebreaking assistance to merchant ships during winter navigation. There are 30 stevedore companies operating at the port. In 2011, cargo throughput at the port rose 3% year-over-year to 59,989,300 tons.