Southern ports: the golden mean

In the first half of 2006 southern basin ports transshipped 77.50 million tons of cargo. It comprised 38.8% of total cargo turnover of the national port complex. In general, according to the Association of Sea Trading port s (ASTP), southern ports handled 21.9 million tons of dry cargo and 55.6 million tons of bulked cargo. Over this period the following ports have increased their cargo turnover: Novorossisk, Temryuk and Caucasus. Minor decrease of cargo turnover has been registered in Tuapse port while more significant one — in Astrakhan and Taganrog ports.

Novorossisk
Novorossisk port has provided 73% of summarized cargo flow in the region and 28% of cargo turnover of all the ports of Russia. According to statistics of ASTP, in the first half of 2006 Novorossisk handled 56.58 million tons of cargo, which is 3.7% higher than it was in the previous year. Dry cargo comprised 12.78 million tons in the port structure; this parameter has exceeded its own level of the previous year by 3.2%. However major volume of Novorossisk export is usually comprised by bulked cargo. Actually every third ton of Russia’s oil export passes through Novorossisk. The result concerning bulked cargo over the first six months of the current year — 43.8 million tons — has exceeded the result of the previous year by 3.9%. Besides, 65% of all bulked cargo of the port (28.65 million tons) have passed through the largest stevedoring company of Novorossisk Sea Trading Port OSJC (NSTP). In total, the turnover of the company has increased by 3.6% amounting to 37.35 million tons. That comprised 66% of the total port cargo turnover.
Among Novorossisk stevedoring companies growth dynamics has been also demonstrated by Novorossisk CFC (Central Forwarding Company) OJSC (the company’s cargo turnover has increased by 76.4% amounting to 0.66 million tons), Gelendzhik Sea Trading Port CJSC (the company transshipped 0.07 million tons — that is 95.8% higher as compared to 2005), Sochi Sea Trading Port OJSC (the volume of cargo transshipment in the first half of the year has increased by factor of 4 amounting to 0.20 million tons). Besides, the following companies have exceeded their own figures of the previous year: Geoport FSUE (0.23 million tons or +34.2% from the first half of 2005), Novorossisk Shipyard OJSC (1.28 million tons or +6.4%), Novolesexport OJSC (1.18 or +3.3%) and КТК-R OJSC which handled 15.13 million tons of cargo (+0.8%).
The results of Portholding CJSC have decreased by 2.8% amounting to 0.37 million tons and that of the integrated works Stroikomplekt OJSC have decreased by 11.8% amounting to 0.04 million tons.
Anapa Sea Port has also started cargo transshipment in the current half of the year. 0.002 million tons of cargo have been shipped over this period.

Tuapse
Tuapse port is the second largest one in respect of transshipment volumes at the Black Sea coast. Besides, it is the only deep-water port of the Black Sea to carry out coal transshipment for export. Owing to the efforts of two stevedoring companies of the port, the cargo turnover of Tuapse has amounted to 10.45 million tons, having decreased the previous year result by 2%, according to information provided by the port administration. Major cargo flow falls at Tuapse Sea Trading Port OJSC (TSTP) operating at 14 berths. 99.8% of the total port cargo turnover has passed through TSTP, amounting to 10.430 million tons. Turnover of the second stevedoring company — Tuapse Sea Commercial Port LLC, operating at the berth of a fishing port — has increased owing to transshipment of dry cargo by 9.8% amounting to 0.02 million tons.
TSTP was the only company in the first-half to carry out transshipment of oil cargo. All in all the company shipped 2.46 million tons of oil (+0,4%) and 4.724 million tons of oil products (-4,6%).

Temryuk
Just 10 years ago the turnover of the port was no more than 100 thou tons a year and the main type of freight was general cargo: wood, timber, metal, out-of-gage load. Today crude oil, heavy fuel oil, fertilizers, grain and diesel fuel prevail.
According to information of a Taman branch of Rosmorport FSUE, 0.54 million tons of cargo (+13%) passed through the port in the first-half. Among seven stevedoring companies the leading position is held by Temryukmortrans LLC, the share of which is 66.3% of the port’s cargo turnover (0.360 million tons). The second one is Sotra-port CJSC: the company shipped 0.105 million tons of cargo (19.4% of the port’s cargo turnover). The third result — 0.073 million tons (13,5%) — Kubangruzservis CJSC.

Caucasus
Over the recent six years (except for 2005) cargo turnover of Caucasus Port has been gradually increasing. In the first-half the volume of cargo transshipment, according to Taman branch of Rosmorport FSUE, also increased by 33.5% amounting to 3,03 million tons. Considering the results of stevedoring companies, which increase their cargo turnover, the integrated result of the port is to exceed that of the previous year. In particular, STL-Trading LLC handled 1.134 million tons of cargo that is 13.4% more than in the previous year. Caucasus Port — Southern District OJSC increased its cargo turnover by 23.3% amounting to 0,09 million tons; Lada Gelendzhik Trans CSJC increased cargo transshipment by a factor of over 5 amounting to 0.021 million tons.
The following bulked cargo is transshipped at the port’s berths: mineral fertilizers, grain, different ore concentrate as well as general, timber and container cargo. Besides, the transshipment of cargo is performed at anchorage in the water area of the port. Over the last half-year oil transshipment at anchorage decreased by a factor of over 13 amounting to 0.077 million tons; heavy fuel oil transshipment at anchorage increased by a factor of 2.4 amounting to 1,112 million tons over the same period.

Taganrog
Taganrog Port lays claim to be the largest port for transshipment of heavy fuel oil at the shore of the Azov Sea. Cargo turnover of Taganrog Port is being provided by three stevedoring companies: Taganrog Sea Trading Port OJSC (TSTP), Priazovje OJSC and Taganrog Shipyard OJSC.
According to ASTP, volume of cargo transshipment in the first-half decreased by 25.9% amounting to 1.135 million tons. Only Priazovje OJSC demonstrated growth dynamics among three stevedoring companies. The company increased cargo transshipment by 33.9% and handled in the final analysis 0.12 million tons. Transshipment of bulked cargo comprised 0.06 million tons (+23,7%). Priazovje OJSC has only one berth, but the company applies an additional scheme of transshipment at anchorage through vessel-to-vessel variant at a depth up to 7 meters without entering the port and berthing. Nevertheless, the share of Priazovje in the port’s total cargo turnover amounts to 10%.

The largest stevedoring company of TSTP Port, according to the company’s information, decreased cargo transshipment over six months from 0.991 million tons in 2005 to 0.808 million tons in 2006. However, bulked cargo transshipment of the company increased by 4.7% amounting to 0.150 million tons. TSTP Company makes over 70% of total sea cargo turnover of Taganrog, operating 6 of 10 berths of the port.
The third stevedoring company is Taganrog Shipyard OJSC. According to ASTP statistics, the company handled 0.207 million tons of cargo in the first-half (-54%). The decrease of cargo turnover of Taganrog Shipyard OJSC is explained by a decrease of dry cargo transshipment by 56.4% amounting to 0,195 million tons.

Astrakhan and Olya
Astrakhan transportation junction (Volga river estuary) includes two ports: Astrakhan and Olya. Major cargo flow goes through Astrakhan port — 17 stevedoring companies. According to expert forecast, cargo turnover of Olya Port will raise up to 8 million tons by 2010. In the first-half of 2006 cargo turnover of the port amounted to 0,135 million tons. Two stevedoring companies operate at the port: International Trading Port Olya OJSC and Caspian Container Terminal.
Despite a three-fold increase of Olya’s cargo turnover, total cargo turnover of Astrakhan transportation junction fell by 28.3% amounting to 1.77 million tons. The experts explain the decrease of cargo turnover by a decrease of cargo volume in export via Caspian Sea to Iran directionв. In the first-half only 6 of 18 stevedoring companies of Astrakhan Port demonstrated growth dynamics: Cargo Transshipment District Astrakhan Port OJSC (increased cargo turnover by 9.2% amounting to 0,25 million tons), Group of Companies Armada OJSC (increased cargo transshipment by 63.4% amounting to 0,19 million tons), Manufacturing & Trading Company Zujd-Vest LLC (increased cargo turnover by 38.5% amounting to 0.08 million tons), Manufacturing & Trading Company Central Cargo District LLC (increased cargo transshipment volume by 12.7% amounting to 0,09 million tons), Trading Company VTS-Port LLC (increased cargo turnover by 10.7% amounting to 0.04 million tons) and Astrakhan Grain Terminal LLC (increased cargo transshipment by 90% amounting to 0.006 million tons. Manufacturing & Trading Company Yug-Terminal LLC also increased cargo transshipment more than twice amounting to 0.04 million tons.

Makhachkala and Yejsk
The only non-freezing Russian port at Caspian Sea is Makhachkala Port. Makhachkala transportation junction is able to take transit cargo flows of oil and oil products coming from Central Asia and part of export-import cargo of Russia, Iran, India. The only stevedoring company of the port shipped 2.56 million tons of cargo (-0,6%) within a six-month period.
Yejsk Port in the first-half handled 1.42 million tons of cargo (+13,6%). The largest share of it— 1.386 million tons — fell on dry cargo. 5 stevedoring companies operate in Yejsk Port. The largest one is Yejsk Sea Trading Port OJSC transshipped 0.625 million tons (+2,1%), that makes 43.96% of the port’s total cargo turnover. The second stevedoring company - Directory NMP LLC - handled about half of it — 0,348 million tons of cargo (+80,8%). Cargo turnover of Yejsk-Port-Vista LLC amounted to 0.28 million tons (+3,9%). Moreover, only one company of the port failed to demonstrate growth dynamics: Yejsk Port Elevator LLC decreased cargo transshipment by 27.5% amounting to 0,07 million tons of cargo. The fifth stevedoring company Yejsk-Priazovje-Port LLC handled 0.098 million tons of cargo (+22,2%).

Forecasts come true
As yearly as in March Association of Sea Trade Ports forecasted slight increase of integrated cargo turnover of Russia’s south ports. By the end of the half-year, according to ASTP, ports of southern basin transshipped 2,3% more year on year. In particular, growth of total port cargo turnover of Novorossisk is 15-20% a year.