Results of Russian ports in 2022: infographics and analytics
IAA PortNews and the Institute for Natural Monopolies Research (IPEM) present infographics and analytics on operation of Russian seaports in 2022
In the fourth quarter 2022, cargo handling in Russian ports rose by 4.1%, year-on-year, to 222.1 million tonnes. The decrease of the second and the third quarters was offset and the annual result increased by 0.7%, year-on-year, to 841.5 million tonnes. The recovery was driven by redirection of trade links.
The decrease of the final results was registered in three segments: containerized cargo (-26%), ferrous metal (-15.7%) and oil products (-5.4%).
Many cargo categories showed a moderate increase over the year: coal (+1.8%), ores (+6%), grain (+6.9%), oil (+7.5%) and liquefied gas (+8.8%). Positive dynamics was driven by various trends of diverse nature.
In the segment of oil and coal, the embargo imposed by European countries was overcome due to intensified work with other trading partners (such as India). Coal transportation was partly redirected from the Baltic and Arctic ports to other basins. However, oil segment saw a decline in the fourth quarter (-1.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021), which could be affected by the embargo imposed on December 5 on seaborne supplies from Russia to the EU countries.
The growth in the segments of grain, fertilizers and liquefied gas is associated with the high global prices and the absence of principal restrictions on their supply. For example, Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) was not covered the EU restrictions on imports. On the contrary, partially offset the reduction of pipeline gas supplies. The segment of fertilizers was driven by the launching of a new dedicated terminal, Ultramar. Grain segment was positively affected by a high harvest, and negatively by the complication of chartering, insurance and settlement of payments.
A decrease was seen in the Baltic basin as the most focused on exports to Europe (-2.9%). Even steeper fall was registered in the Caspian Basin (-13.9%), small volumes of which are vulnerable to fluctuations caused locally. However, the highest growth was seen there in the fourth quarter (+15.5%). Other basins demonstrated positive dynamics throughout the year. The lowest was seen in the Far East basin due to its limited infrastructure. Other basins showed a higher growth: +2.7% in the Azov-Black Sea basin an +4.4% in the Arctic basin.
In 2022, container handling measured in twenty-foot equivalent units fell by 23.4%. In the fourth quarter it fell by 27.6% (vs the fourth quarter of 2021) while in the third quarter it was 32.6% so the dynamics is recovering.
The growth of container handling in the Far East and in the Arctic regions, (+8.2%) and (+15.2%) respectively does not offset the fall in the Baltic and in the Azov-Black Sea basins, (-57.3%) and (-9.3%) respectively.
Further shifting of cargo handling to the Far East basin can be expected in 2023 as its infrastructure develops.
Infographics is available here >>>>
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