Russian seaports see slight increase in turnover

The Russian market has recovered somewhat from last year's setbacks due to the corona pandemic. The cargo throughput of Russian seaports from January to June 2021 amounted to 412.1 million tonnes. According to the Russian Seaports Association, this is 0.3 percent more than in the same period last year. This indicates a positive development in Russia, analyses Natalia Kapkajewa, Port of Hamburg Marketing Representative in St. Petersburg.

The turnover of dry cargo was particularly strong with an increase of eight percent. This included coal in particular with 101.5 million tonnes, an increase of 17.8 percent. This was followed by ferrous metals with an increase of nine percent (15.1 million tonnes). With 30.4 million tonnes container handling figures rose by 6.7 percent. The highest losses in transhipment were in ore, with a drop of 15.1 percent. Here, 5.2 million tonnes were still handled in the first half of 2021.

The handling of liquid cargo also showed negative development. It fell by six percent and reached only 211.3 million tonnes. Crude oil was also hit with a decline of 9.4 percent. Here the seaports handled 116.8 million tonnes in total. Only the handling of liquefied gas rose to 17.3 million tonnes (+2.5 percent).

For the Baltic Sea ports of Ust-Luga, Primorsk and Vyssozk, however, the positive results had no impact. All three recorded a decline in turnover. Only St Petersburg was able to increase throughput by 2.6 percent to 30.5 million tonnes.