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 full year 2013 amounted to 141 million tonnes, compared to 159 million tonnes in 2012.

PJSC NCSP CEO Yuri Matvienko commented on the results: "Russia's export commodities comprise the bulk of NCSP's cargo traffic, and these volumes were substantially influenced in 2013 by the global commodity market trends on the one hand, and buy the diversification of export logistic routes in Russia on the other hand.

In particular this translated in continuous shifting of Russian crude oil exports in the Far East direction, and in a redistribution of volumes between competing Baltic ports.

High domestic grain prices and the poor crop of 2012-2013 season prevented Russia from exporting grain in the first half of 2013, which resulted in a proportional decline in grain volumes for the full year. As the new crop became available for export the Group regained its position in the grain handling market.

Slowing global demand for Russian iron ore and steel products resulted in a decrease of shipments of these cargoes through Ukrainian ports and their concentration at Russian ports, which enabled the Group to maintain stable ferrous metals volumes and to increase iron ore handling.

In 2013 we started handling automobiles (imported) and handled a total of 3 439 cars".

Liquid cargo

Liquid cargo in 2013 totalled 116,768 ths tonnes, including 91,736 ths tonnes of crude oil; 24,205 ths tonnes of oil products; 633 ths tonnes of UAN; and 195 ths tonnes of seed oils.

Crude oil volumes were down by 19,094 ths tonnes or 17.2% versus that of 2012. Oil products and UAN handling increased were up by 4,809 ths tonnes and 169 ths tonnes or by 24.8% and 36.3% respectively.

Bulk cargo

Bulk cargo handling in 2013 totalled 8,819 ths tonnes, including 4,066 ths tonnes of grain; 1,944 ths tonnes of iron ore; 903 ths tonnes of coal; 846 ths tonnes of sugar; 835 ths tonnes of mineral fertilizers; 215 ths tonnes of cement and other.

Iron ore volumes grew by 188 ths tonnes of 10.7% versus 2012, well ahead of the industry's total growth of 2.8% according to ASOP. Raw sugar volumes were up by 204 ths tonnes or 31.8% year-on-year.

Coal handling increased 3.5 times over 2012 volumes, when this cargo was handled for only five months starting August.

General cargo

General cargo volumes 2013 amounted to 10,572 ths tonnes. Ferrous metals handling comprised 8,554 ths tonnes; non-ferrous metals 1,042 ths tonnes; timber products 458 ths tonnes; perishable cargo 320 ths tonnes; and other cargo 198 ths tonnes.

Handling of ferrous and non-ferrous metals reduced in line with general shrinking of these exports due to weakening global demand.

Timber volumes declined following weak demand from traditional importers from North Africa and the Middle East due to political instability in these regions, on the one hand, and as a result of 60% increase in containerization of this cargo versus 2012.

Containers

NCSP Group's container throughput 2013 totalled 610.5 ths TEU, slightly down by 13.1 ths TEU of 2.1% versus 2012.