Total throughput of Russian seaports up 4.5% to 110.6 mln t in Q1 09
In the first quarter of 2009, total throughput of Russian seaports amounted to 110.6 million tonnes (+4.5%, year-on-year), Association of Sea Commercial Ports states. According to the source, transshipment of dry cargo fell by 7.3%, year-on-year, to 40.6 million tonnes while transshipment of liquid bulk cargo increased by 12.8% to 70 million tonnes.
Transshipment of export cargo climbed by 4.6% to 85.7 mln t including 12.8 million tonnes of coal (+3%), 4.4 million tonnes of grain (up 7-fold), 1.2 million tonnes of ore (up almost 3-fold), 53.6 million tonnes of liquid bulk cargo (+6.3%). However transshipment of mineral fertilizers and timber decreased almost by a half, ferrous metal – by 9.5%, containerized cargo – by 23.5%.
In the reported period, transshipment of import cargo fell by 40% to 5.7 million tonnes. Import of containerized cargo fell by 44%, refrigerated cargo – by 34.6%.
Transshipment of transit cargo via Russian seaports grew by 18.6% to 11.3 million tonnes mainly due to transshipment of crude oil. However transit of dry cargo fell by 41.5%.
Transshipment of coastal trade cargo increase 1.6 times: dry cargo – by 6.8%, liquid bulk cargo –2.1 times.
In the first quarter of 2009, cargo handling in certain seaports fell due to the global economic crisis. Kaliningrad Sea Commercial Port decreased cargo handling by 46%, that of Sea Port of Saint Petersburg – by 19%, Commercial Port of Vladivostok – by 26%.