Cargo handling across stevedoring assets of Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port Group (NCSP Group or the Group) in the first quarter 2015 increased 6% on Q1, 2014 and totaled 2 million tonnes, the Group said in a press release.
Liquid cargo is up 1410 thousand tonnes or 5.2% year-on-year reaching 28 353.6 thousand tonnes. Bulk cargo grew by 180.5 thousand tonnes or 7.5% year-on-year totaling 2 583.1 thousand tonnes. General cargo increased by 543.1 thousand tonnes or 18.3% year-on-year to 3 510.5 thousand tonnes. Copntainer traffic in the reporting period totaled 118.1 thousand TEU and 1 178.5 thousand tonnes.
CEO of PJSC NCSP Sultan Batov commented: «Cargo volumes have been growing for three months from the beginning of the year. This is possible thanks to continuous reduction of export duties on crude oil, which boosted export volumes; sustainable growth of domestic oil refining and oil products’ exports; good demand for Russian steel and non-ferrous metals supported by ruble devaluation; achieving target levels of coal transshipment.”
In May cargo handling increased by 16.5% month-on-month.
In the first three months the Group's stevedores handled 28,353,600 of liquid cargo, or 5.2% more than a year earlier. Crude oil volumes remained nearly flat at 19,508,700 tonnes. Oil products exports soared 20.8% to 8,669,000 tonnes. Shipments of UAN and vegetable oils in Q1 2015 comprised 99 thousand tonnes and 76.8 thousand tonnes respectively.
Bulk cargo volumes in the first three months on 2015 increased by 180.5 thousand tonnes or 7.5% year-on-year and reached 2 583.1 thousand tonnes. Grain volumes totaled 1363.3 thousand tonnes; chemical cargo comprised 292 thousand tonnes; sugar volumes were 252 thousand tonnes; iron ore volumes accounted for 321.4 thousand tonnes, and coal volumes totals 354.4 thousand tonnes. Bulk volumes’ year-on-year growth rates accelerated 2.8 percentage points versus that of January-February 2015.
Chemical cargo (including Fertilizers, Sulphur, etc) volumes increased by 160 thousand tonnes or 122.1% year-on-year thanks to attraction of extra volumes of Sulphur to complement fertilizers.
Iron-ore volumes in January-March 2015 have practically reached the level of Q1 2014, even though they were lagging 24.1% year-on-year in January-February 2015.
Coal volumes rose 120.4% year-on-year and 76.2% in March versus February 2015.
Handling of general cargo in the reporting period rose 18.3% to 3 510.5 thousand tonnes, while growth rates accelerated by 2.1 percentage points versus that of January-February 2015.
Ferrous metals and pig iron handling increased by 413.8 thousand tonnes or 16.4% year-on-year. Timber cargo grew by 27.9 thousand tonnes or 22.8% year-on-year.
Volumes of non-ferrous metals increased by 90.4 thousand tonnes or 43.0% year-on-year, and grew by 73.9 thousand tonnes or more than doubled in March versus February 2015.
Perishable cargo and other cargo in January-March 2015 comprised 47 thousand tonnes and 70.8 thousand tonnes respectively.
The Group’s container traffic in January-March 2015 totaled 1 178.5 thousand tonnes and 118.1 thousand TEU.
About NCSP Group
NCSP Group is the largest port operator in Russia and the third-largest in Europe, in terms of cargo turnover. NCSP shares are traded on Russia's Moscow Exchange (ticker: NMTP) and on the London Stock Exchange in the form of GDRs (ticker: NCSP). NCSP Group cargo turnover in 2014 totalled 131 million tonnes. Consolidated revenue to IFRS in 2014 totalled USD 956 million and EBITDA was USD 569 million. NCSP Group consolidates the following companies: PJSC Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port, LLC Primorsk Trade Port, PJSC Novorossiysk Grain Terminal, OJSC Novorossiysk Ship Repair Yard, OJSC NCSP Fleet, OJSC NLE, OJSC IPP, CJSC Baltic Stevedore Company, and CJSC SFP.