OREANDA-NEWS. September 17, 2009. Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port (LSE: NCSP, RTS and MICEX: NMTP) announces consolidated operating results for January-August 2009: in the reporting period cargo turnover of NCSP Group totaled 58 142.5 thousand tonnes, which exceeds the turnover of the same period last year by 8.2% or 4 400.6 thousand tonnes. At the same time cargo traffic in August 2009 versus August 2008 has grown by 480.7 thousand tonnes or 6.8%.

In the reporting period the cargoes that demonstrated growth increased cumulatively by 8 016.9 thousand tonnes in absolute terms. On the other hand, the cargoes which showed weak volumes together decreased by 3 616.3 thousand tonnes.

Grain volumes in January-August 2009 totaled 5 887.6 thousand tonnes, exceeding the volumes of the same period last year by 3 441 thousand tonnes. At the same time grain volumes rose by 245.2 thousand tonnes or 39.4% month on month in August versus July 2009. The share of grain in NCSP Group’s total cargo turnover comprised 10.1% versus 4.5% in the first eight months of the last year.

Handling of diesel fuel by OJSC IPP facility in the eight months of 2009 versus same period last year have increased by 920.9 thousand tonnes (28.7%). These volumes are mostly driven by the extra capacity launched at IPP in the end of 2008.

Additionally they are supported by the favorable market situation for Russian exporters of diesel fuel.

In the reporting period handling of iron ore and ore concentrate amounted to 2 145.8 thousand tonnes, comprising 3.7% of the Group’s total cargo turnover versus 0.2% same period last year.

In January-August 2009 handling of pig iron, seed oils, perishable cargo, and mineral fertilizers together increased by 146.9 thousand tonnes versus January-August 2008.

Volumes of ferrous and non-ferrous metals in the first eight months of 2009 versus same period in 2008 decreased by 139.7 thousand tonnes (2.3%) and 9.8 thousand tonnes (1.6%) respectively. Nevertheless, in August versus July 2009 these segments improved month on month by 14.3% and 7.3% respectively.

Also in the reporting period volumes of cement, UAN liquid fertilizer, scrap metal, timber, sugar, and other cargo together decreased by 1 413.4 thousand tonnes versus same period last year.

In the reporting period container traffic of NCSP Group amounted to 155.8 thousand TEU slumping by 38.2% versus same period last year, which falls in line with the general contraction of the Russian container market. While month-on-month container traffic on the Black Sea terminals of the Group has mildly decreased by 1.4 thousand TEU in August versus July 2009, the BSC terminal on the Baltic Sea counterbalanced this trend with a 40.4% (1.9 thousand TEU) hike in volumes, leading to a month-on-month increase of 0.5 thousand TEU or 3.1% in the Group’s total container traffic. The differences in terminals’ performance are explained by the specific character of their client base. Thus the close of the import season for perishable goods in refrigerated containers conditioned the decrease in volumes at the NLE terminal in July-August this year. The start of the new refrigerators season and the implemented policy to diversify the client base will support traffic rebound as the market demand grows.