OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2010. Cargo turnover at the ports of Russia in the first two months this year rose as much as 7.9% from the same period last year, to 77.4 million tons. The volume of transshipped dry cargo amounted to 28.8 million tons, adding 12.1%, liquid bulk cargoes, to 48.6 million tons (+5.6%), the Association of Commercial Sea Ports (Aconitum) statement said.

The Russian seaports have seen 60.9 million tons of exports or a 9.8% increase over the same period last year. The volumes include: coal - 8.95 million tons (+7.0%), ferrous metals - 4.5 million tons (+13.6%), grain cargo - 2.9 million tons (+22.1%), mineral fertilizers - 1.6 million tons (+22.8%), containerized cargoes - 1.4 million tons (+37.1%), liquid bulk cargo - 38.5 million tons (+9.4%).

In January-February imports volumes reached 4.5 million tons, a 22.9% gain, including containerized - 2.4 million tons (+47.1%).

Transit cargoes shipments via the seaports of Russia showed a 8.7% drop, at 6.9 million tons. The decrease in transits was due to less crude oil and oil products shipments through the ports of Makhachkala and Novorossiysk, the Aconitum statement said. There was a slight 1.4 rise in cabotage traffic volumes.

Marine Terminals Operators of the North-West Basin handled 32.4 million tons of goods, down 1.6% from the last year’s figures, mainly because of a 4.9 percent decline in liquid bulk cargoes, 21.3 million tons. Volumes of dry cargo shipments increased by 5.2% and amounted to 11.1 million tons. The Big Port of St. Petersburg posted a 13.5% gain, at 6.9 million tons, the Port of Kaliningrad, a15.3% growth, to 2.2 million tons, while other ports reported a reduction in handled volumes: Arkhangelsk, at 2.3 million tons (-3.2%), Vysotsk, down to 1.96 million tons (-23.9%), Murmansk, to 5.5 million tons (-7.9%).

Ports of the South Basin increased cargo turnover by 2.4%, to 28.1 million tons thanks to added 9.4%, 9.0 million tons of dry cargo. Transshipment of liquid bulk cargoes did not exceed the last year’s level, just the same 19.1 million tons. Operators of marine terminals of Novorossiysk handled 20.2 million tons (+1.1%) and Tuapse Port - 3.3 million tons, adding 19.1 percent.

Ports of the Far East Region loaded, unloaded 16.9 million tons of cargoes, showing a 49.3% surge from Jan.-Feb. 2009, of which 8.7 million tons (+25.8%) were dry cargoes and 8.2 million tons (as much as 1.9 times) -  liquid bulk cargoes. Several stevedores boosted their volumes: Port of Vanino – by 9.4%, to 3.4 million tons, Vladivostok – as much as 1.6 times, up to 2.5 million tons, Nakhodka - by 3.3%, to 2.7 million tons.  The launch of the oil transshipment facility at Kozmino and gas, oil complex in Prigorodny contributed to the volume growth at the Port of Vostochny by 1.8 times, up to 4.7 million tons and at Sakhalin’s ports by 2.9 times, to 3.2 million tons accordingly.

Association of Sea Commercial Ports (Aconitum) was established in 1987. Currently Aconitum unites more than 50 organizations and enterprises of maritime transport in Russia. The Association includes commercial sea ports, forwarding and agency companies, research institutes, schools of sea transport. The outcome data of the Russian port complex is based on statistical reports, covering all stevedoring companies operating in Russia.