Russian seaports’ throughput rises 4.7 percent
Cargo traffic at Russian seaports in January-August, 2012 totaled 369.5 million tons, a 4.8-percent gain from the same period last year, the Association of Seaports report said.
The eight-month volume of dry bulk cargo reached 165.9 million tons, up 10.13% year-on-year. The increase was driven mainly by a 9.3% growth (57.9 mln tons) in coal exports, a 8.6-percent gain (28.3 mln mt) in containerized cargoes, a 7.3-percent increase (17.8 mln mt) in ferrous metals volume. Grain shipments totaled 15.5 million tons, ferries cargo rose 17.5% to 5.4 mln mt, handling of non-ferrous metals rose 6.3% to 2.9 million tons. Shipments of timber cargo increased by 2.6% to 4.2 million tons, scrap metal exports rose 9.4 million tons to 2.5 mln mt. Mineral fertilizer volume dropped by 14.9% y-o-y to 4.9m tons, shipments of iron ore fell 2.5% to 4.9m tons. Handling of other bulk cargo declined by 7.3% to 3.2m tons. Unitized cargo shipments fell by 13.2% to 3.6m tons, refrigerated cargo volumes slumped by 22.0% to 2.4m tons.
Shipments of liquid bulk through the nation’s ports totaled 203.6 million tons, which represents a 0.7% gain from a year earlier, including 128.4 million tons of crude exports (-1.5%) and 73.3 million tons of oil products (+3.5%).
In the reporting period the Russian ports saw a year-over-year 8.9-percent growth in exports, to 291.8 million tons. Imports dropped 4.4% from last year’s numbers, to 29.3 million tons, primarily due to fewer volumes of general cargo and sugar. Handling of transit cargo was down to 29.3 million tons (-11.7%), short sea traffic volume fell 9.2% to 19.0 million tons following a decline in crude exports. There was a 14.7% growth in dry bulk cargo carried by coastal vessels, to 12.2 million tons.
In the first half of 2012, stevedore companies of the Arctic basin handled 23.9 million tons of cargoes, which represent a 17.3% decline from the same period a year ago. Shipments of dry bulk cargo grew 9.7% to 16.1 million tons. Freight flows passing through the port of Arkhangelsk rose by 27.0% to 3.6 mln tons, Dudinka port cargo volume climbed 1.1% to 700,000 tons. Cargo throughput at the port of Murmansk was down 20.5% to 14.5 mln tons, handling of loads at Vitino port decreased by 12.9% to 2.5 mln tons, exports volume passing through Varandey terminal slumped by 2.1 times, to 1.2m tons, Kandalaksha port handled 500,000 tons (-21.0%).
In January-August, the Baltic Sea-based Russian ports moved 135.2 million tons of different cargoes, up 10.2% from the 2011’s figure, including 50.0 million tons of dry bulk cargo (+6.4%), 85.2 million tons of liquid bulk (+12.6%). Cargo throughput at Primorsk terminal was up 1.4% to 50.7 million tons. Port of Ust-Luga traffic soared 2.1 times to 28.3 million tons, thanks to coal exports growth and commissioning of new oil terminals. Port of Vyborg handled 900,000 tons (+35.6%). Big Port St. Petersburg cargo volumes fell 2.7% to 38.4 million tons, cargo shipments through the port of Kaliningrad dropped 11.0% to 8.4 million tons, Port of Vysotsk transshipped 8.5 million tons (-10.2%).
Handling of exports / imports at the ports of Azov-Black Sea basin in the reporting period totaled 115.2 million tons (+4.0%). Dry bulk cargo volume rose by 18.5% to 44.7 million tons, while liquid bulk traffic was down 3.5% to 70.5 million tons. Cargo throughput at the Port of Novorossiysk totaled 79.1 mln tons up 3.5% from a year earlier. The port of Taman handled 1 mln tons. Cargo volumes transshipped at the port of Rostov-on-Don increased by 26.6% to 7.2 million tons. Shipments of cargo through the port of Kavkaz grew by 8.7% to 5.5 million tons. Port of Azov eight-month throughput rose by 21.6% to 3.1 million tons. Taganrog port throughput reached 2.3 mln tons (+1.4%). Port of Yeysk saw a 3 percent decline year-on-year, to 2.92 million tons, cargo traffic at the port of Tuapse fell by 6.5% to 11.9 tons, at the port of Temryuk – by 16.2% to 1.4 million tons.
The Caspian Sea-based Russian ports handled 7.1 million tons, a 7.9-percent gain year-on-year, including dry bulk cargo - 3.3 million tons (-3.8%), liquid bulk – 3.8 million tons (+20.6%). Freight traffic at the port of Astrakhan fell 17.6% to 2.3 million tons. The port of Makhachkala cargo volumes jumped 23.2% to 4.3 million tons. The port of Olya eight-month throughput soared 1.5 times to 600,000 tons.
In January-August, the ports of the Far Eastern basin saw a 5.1-percent gain in cargo volumes to 88.0 million tons. Shipments of dry bulk cargo rose 8.9% to 51.7 million tons. The eight-month volume of liquid bulk was flat on last year’s figure, at 36.3 million tons. Cargo throughput at Vostochny port rose 5.6% to 27.6 million tons, at the port of Prigorodnoye – by 3.1% to 13.1 million tons. Stevedore companies of the Port of Nakhodka handled 11.2 mln tons (+12.1%), at the Port of Vladivostok – 9.1 mln tons (+15.4%), at the port of Posiet – 3.9 mln tons, (+11.8%). Vanino Port traffic rose 1.3% to 13.1 million tons. The port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky moved 1.5 mln tons of different cargoes (+4.8%), the port of Kholmsk – 1.3 mln tons (+1.9%). Handling of cargo at the port of De Kastri dropped by 13.7% to 4.8 million tons, at the port of Olga – by 6.4% to 1 mln tons.
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. Complete statistics is presented in the quarterly report of ASOP "Cargo traffic at the ports of Russia, CIS and Baltic countries."