OREANDA-NEWS. July 04, 2011. Cargo throughput of the port of Ust-Luga in the first half of this year surged by 56% over the same period in 2010 to more than 8,9 million tons, a Port Authority source said Monday.

During the reporting period the port handled 473 vessels. Exports of coal and petroleum products fueled the dramatic traffic volume growth, the source told PortNews.

Since May, the port handles 2 million tons of cargo every month. Now three cargo and passenger ferries make regular visits at Ust-Luga, two of them operate on Ust-Luga-Germany line.

The new border and customs control scheme is effective at the port terminals, which positively affects the processing of ships, and, consequently, leads to the port’s cargo throughput, the Port Authority said.

Port of Ust-Luga is located on Russia’s border with the EU. Currently, there are six terminals operating at the port (nine more to be commissioned soon). Overall, by 2018 there will be 19 terminals. The port’s 16-m deep harbor and a short 3.7-km approach canal make Ust-Luga the only Russian port on the Baltic Sea that can accommodate 75,00dwt bulkers and 120,000dwt tankers.

Upon completion of the port’s expansion Ust Luga will become the terminus of the Baltic Pipeline System 2 (BPS-2). The launch of bunkering facility associated with the BPS2 is scheduled for 2012. In 2010, cargo throughput of Ust-Luga rose year-over-year by 13.7% to 11,78m tons.