OREANDA-NEWS. Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port Group (NCSP Group or the Group) (LSE: NCSP, Moscow Exchange: NMTP) announces today that its consolidated cargo turnover for the period of January-July 2013 amounted to 83.3 million tonnes, compared to 94.0 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2012.

Liquid cargo

Handling of liquid cargo in 7M 2013 was 70,161 ths tonnes, compared to 77,265 ths tonnes in January-July 2012. Crude oil handling in the reporting period totalled 54,720 ths tonnes, oil products handling amounted to 14,976 ths tonnes, while handling of other liquid cargoes amounted to 465 ths tonnes in the first seven months of 2013. Oil products handling in January-July grew at the even faster year-on-year pace of 43.0%, compared to a 40.5% year-on-year increase for the first six months of 2013. The Novorossiysk Fuel Oil Terminal remains the primary source of growth, with volumes up 165.6% year-on-year during the reporting period.

Bulk cargo

NCSP Group handled 3,894 ths tonnes of bulk cargo in 7M 2013 compared to 7,101 tonnes a year earlier.

The end of the first seven months of 2013 marked the start of a recovery in grain volumes. NCSP Group handled 812 ths tonnes of grain in 7M 2013, which is a 70.0% increase over the amount handled during the first half of the year. With exports of the new grain crop under way, this tendency is expected to continue.

Iron ore handling increased 15.7% year-on-year during January-July 2013, reaching 1,288 ths tonnes, despite a 3.8% year-on-year decrease in handling of iron ore at all Russian sea ports during the same period, according to ASOP*.

Sugar handling in July recovered due to transit shipments destined to CIS countries, helping volumes increase 10.5% year-on-year for January-July 2013.

General cargo

General cargo volumes in 7M 2013 amounted to 6,351 ths tonnes. Ferrous metals volumes amounted to 5,145 ths tonnes; the 3.4% year-on-year decrease was smaller than the 17.3% year-on-year decline seen at all Russian sea ports during the seven month period, according to ASOP*. Timber handling decreased by 33.0% year-on-year, in line with overall industry trends.

Containers

NCSP Group's total container throughput in January-June 2013 was 368.5 ths TEU, which is in line with 2012 volumes.