Handling of freight at the sea port of Azov in January-July 2017 totaled 4,889,000 tonnes, a 1.5% gain on the same period a year earlier, PortNews regional correspondent reports citing the Port of Azov Captain Viktor Zavozin.
The seven-month cargo volumes included primarily grain, oil products and coal. Grain exports edged up 0.6% to 2,665,000 tonnes, coal volume jumped by 2.1 times to 457,000 tonnes. Oil products volume shrank by 10.8% to 1,384,000 tonnes.
Port of Azov own cargo volume in the seven month period increased by 9.5% to 3,683,000 tonnes, including 192,000 tonnes of imports (by 45.3%), 1,320,000 tonnes of coastal trade cargo (by 75.3%). Exports dropped by 12.4% to 2,170,000 tonnes and transit cargo by 16.9% to 1,207,000 tonnes.
In the reporting period the Port of Azov Captain's office granted permissions for 1,798 arrivals and 1820 departures (2016 – 1913 /1916).
Port of Azov is situated on the banks of the Don River. It is the main gateway between the Mediterranean Sea with the inland waterways of Russia and the Caspian Sea, for freight flows to the central part of Russia, the Urals and Central Asia. The boundaries of the port basin include the River Don from the 3151.0-km stretch, the Koysug river to the receiving Buoy No 1 of Azov-Don Sea Canal, including outer anchorage No 6 and the Calancea buoy to Dugino stop-over point.