Crude Gain

It is known that the freight turnover at Russian ports consists largely of raw materials - oil, coal, grain, mineral fertilizers and iron ore. At the same time, recent events in the world, such as the debt problems of some European countries, the accident in the Gulf of Mexico and the raw materials glut on China market influenced the situation concerning the demand on these goods.
 
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In the first quarter of 2010 the Russian ports showed the growth in turnover mainly due to raw materials. Thus, the volume of metals rose by 11.5% (compared with the same period last year), and mineral fertilizers by 33.1%, timber cargo by 25.6%, grain by 11%, sugar by 84.2%.

Transshipment of ore and ferrous metals appeared to be different. The first-quarter iron volumes shrank by 35%.

As Sofia Ragulina, senior analyst of UK Everest Assets Management LLC said in an interview with Port News, there is an overabundance of iron ore on the world market. «In March and April we've seen a decrease in iron exports from Brazil was observed, China government came up with an initiative of temporary purchase suspension of iron ore and other raw materials due to its glut», expert  noted.
 
As to other raw materials, the demand is expected to be stable.

"Given the last year’s recession and that the global economy is currently showing the signs of recovery, production and consumption of most commodities are growing, we can expect an increase in transportation of raw materials, such as coal, grain, sugar, etc. Many countries and companies will make the stocks of these products, thereby maintaining a high demand for them and increasing traffic volumes. Transportation of coal will increase thanks to the growing demand by metallurgy industry, and in due to stocking of coal before the upcoming winter in the Northern Hemisphere", PortNews quotes Mr. Baranov as saying.