Waterborne freight moved within Azov-Don river basin in Jan-Apr surged 21% to 733,000 tonnes
Total freight traffic within the boundaries of the Azov-Don Inland Waterways Basin from January through April, 2019 reached 733,000 tonnes, which represents a 21-percent growth on the same period 2018, the Azov-Don Basin Authority statistics showed.
In the reporting period transit cargo carried on inland waterways surged by 57% to 628,000 tonnes, while domestic cargo volume dropped by 49% to 105,000 tonnes.
During the four-month period as of May 1st 530 inland vessels and ATBs passed along the basin inland waterways, including 194 units downstream and 336 units upstream (2018 – 208; 282).
The river basin authority said that in 2019, navigation in the region started on April 1st. In 2018, due to the favorable weather conditions and following the of Rostov Oblast based agriproducts producers request, navigation on the Lower Don stretch from the 3121st km of the Don (Aksai) to the Bagaevskaya village was opened on March 20, 2018.
Overall waterborne cargo volume in April 2018 within the Azov-Don Basin rose 31% from April 2017. Transport of HFO, sulfur and crushed stone accounted for 27.4%, 25.1% and 7.6%, accordingly of total monthly waterborne traffic.
Water discharge rate from Tsimlyansk Reservoir between as from April 1st until further notice was 410 cbm / s.
The Federal Azov-Don Basin Authority is responsible for management and control of inland waterways of the Don River Don from the lower access channel of Lock No 15 (Tsimlyansk Reservoir) to the village of Aksai (the 3121-km stretch of the Don), except for Nikolayevsky and the Konstantinovsky hydroengineering facilities, and the tributaries of the Don River, Seversky Donets (from Krasny farm to the mouth) and the Manych River (from the Novo-Manychskaya Dam to the river mouth). The total length of the Azov-Don Basin Administration managed inland waterways reaches 691.3 km.
