In 2017, vessels of Volga Shipping Company (a company of UCL Holding) carried 6.5 mln t of cargo, up 24%, year-on-year. The company says its cargo turnover grew by 16%, year-on-year, to 6.25 bln t-km.
In the reporting period, exports totaled 4 mln t (+13%, year-on-year). Cargo transportation within the Russian Federation totaled 2.5 mln t (+ 46%, year-on-year).
A record high harvest of grain and revival of the construction market in the Central and Volga regions contributed to the increase of cargo volumes carried by water.
Export /domestic transportation share in 2017 was 61%/39% (in 2016 - 67%/34%, accordingly). The trend of exports exceeding domestic transportation persists.
The list of key cargoes is the same: grain, sulphur, metal and construction materials. Grain accounted for one third of cargo carried in the navigation season of 2017. Vessels of Volga Shipping Company carried 2.2 mln t of grain, up 42%, year-on-year. Grain transportation in 2017 is the company’s record high result over a 25-year period. Metal exports declined by 0.2 mln t (-26%) to 0.7 mln t. Sulphur transportation totaled 1 mln t, which is the same as the previous year result.
Crushed stone from Karelia made the bulk of cargoes carried within Russia – 1.6 mln t (up 0.5 mln t, or +42%, year-on-year). Domestic transportation of gravel surged 3-fold to 0.3 mln t.
The total of 79 units of cargo and towing fleet and 59 non-self-propelled dry-cargo sections of Volga Shipping Company were deployed during the navigation period of 2017. 4 Volga-Don type ships were put into operation in August for transportation of additional volumes of cargo.
Taking into consideration annual increase of export grain transportation, more cargo ships are supposed to be prepared for the navigation season of 2018. All ships will be fitted with radio- and navigation equipment for operation in coastal waters.
Volga Shipping OJSC is one of the biggest transport companies in Russia. It was founded in 1843. The company transports cargoes along rivers and lakes of the country. In 2016, Volga Shipping carried 5.2 mln t of cargo.
The Company is a part of VBTH, shipping division of Universal Cargo Logistics Holding, international transportation group consolidating a number of Russian railway, stevedoring and logistic companies (the majority stakeholder of VBTH). The division also comprises North Western Shipping Company, V.F.Tanker, Okskaya Sudoverf shipyard.