So, yet another troubled year is coming to an end. The year was full both of accomplishments and disappointments. The port complex of the country as usual demonstrated freight throughput growth, and once again largely Russian raw product exports contributed to cargo volumes gain. Inland shipping again teetered on the brink of collapse, now closer to a halt of transit cargo shipping. Traditionally, we are summing up the year's results. And may the coming year bring a little bit more success!

Northern Shipping Company has summarized its ten-month operational performance in 2015. Despite the current understandable economic and international problems facing the nation, namely sanctions, fluctuations of USD and the EUR, NSC has achieved excellent results at the end of the company's anniversary year. We asked NSC' General Director Alexandr M. Bryntsev to prove success in figures.

Though the year of 2015 featured a difficult economic situation and the reduction of budgetary financing in Russia, the list of ‘phantom projects’ has not changed significantly while some of those projects are slow but steady.

Rosterminalugol, the largest coal terminal in the North-West of Russia from which Ust-Luga port originated, is going to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. On the threshold of this event, the Company’s Managing Director Yevgeny Korban gives an interview to IAA PortNews.

Vostochny Port JSC is about to complete the construction of its Coal Terminal’s Phase 3. The facility will be put into operation in 2017. Implementation of the project will let increase the annual throughput of Russia’s largest coal-focused stevedore by 20 mln t to 39 mln t of coal.

Development of Troitsa Bay seaport has commenced in the Primorsky Territory (Zarubino). Investments of the port’s sole operator Troitsa Bay Seaport (MPBT LLC) will make RUB 150 mln by the end of 2015. The port development is focused on cargoes from APR countries and domestic companies’ frozen fish. MPBT Director General Vyacheslav Burin tells IAA PortNews about current activities and future prospects of the port.

Sergei Gaidayev, Head of Azov-Don Basin Administration FSI, talks IAA PortNews through the results of the navigation season 2015, optimization of fleet operations at the Lower Don and prospects of the waterways development.

Ust-Luga port has come up to Primorsk in terms of liquid bulk cargo transshipment driven by the development of two technologically tied terminals, those of Ust-Luga Oil and Nevskaya Pipeline Company. By today, they are fully operational but still there are possibilities for further increase and restructuring of cargo flows.

Russia has so far responded to Turkey’s act of hostility with the ban on imports of Turkish goods. In fact, imports from Turkey make a quarter of container flow via the port of Novorossiysk. The implications can affect Arkas, Admiral and CMA lines. Meanwhile, market players are concerned about possible problems for ships flying the flag of Russia or carrying Russian goods to pass the Bosphorus.

In January-September 2015, Black Sea container terminals of Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and Bulgaria handled 1,723,269 TEUs including empty containers and excluding transshipment.