June 4 2003, 16:52 SeaNews

Grain export capacities of Russian ports can be increased

The volumes of grain transhipment through Russian seaports in 2002 constituted 6.3 million tonnes, including 5.1 million tonnes of export shipments, an official, responsible for seaport operations in the Russian Ministry of Transport, said on June 4 to a meeting with Russian Railway and Agriculture Ministries' officials and Russian Grain Union.

The ports' grain shipment capacities can be further increased, the official said. They are ready to step up operations with export grain and to re-dress a part of multi-purpose berths into grain shipping terminals. However, in order that this aim be realised, the ports need investment assistance from grain companies, joining efforts in determination of basic grain export directions, the guaranteed workload of grain terminals.

As it has already been reported, Russian marine authorities have been planning to develop grain terminals for operating 50 to 60 tonne vessels in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk (throughput capacity up to 4.5 million tonnes a year), in the Baltic seaports of Ust-Luga and St. Petersburg (5.5 million tonnes a year); for lower capacity vessels - in the shallower ports of the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea (up to 3 million tonnes a year).