Handling of imports / exports at the port of Ust-Luga in January-October 2012 leaped by 2.1 times compared to the same period of a year earlier, to 37.8 million tons, the Association of Sea Commercial (ASOP) Ports said.
Cargo throughput of Ust-Luga was projected to jump by twofold in 2012 to 42-44 million tons. This was announced at the end of October, at the 2nd Baltic Oil & Gas Trade and Transportation Conference in St. Petersburg by deputy harbormaster of Big Port St. Petersburg Oleg Glukhov.
Port of Ust-Luga is located nearly on Russia’s border with the EU. The port is implementing dredging the harbor area and a 3.7km approach canal to 17.5 meters. Ust-Luga also expects to have the second approach canal completed by the end of this year. The port will become the only Russian port on the Baltic Sea capable of accommodating 75,000dwt bulkers and 120,000dwt tankers. 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, Ust-Luga port handled 11.8 million tons of cargoes and 65,500 imported vehicles. By 2018, the port’s annual throughput is expected to increase to 180 million tons.