Russia: Novorossiysk Port on Modernization Mode

Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port Group announces that on 6 August 2012 its Board of Directors has approved leasing contracts for seven new cranes:

• Two LIEBHERR LHM 550 pneumatic drive mobile harbour cranes with lifting capacities of 124 tonnes;

• One Aist electric full-revolving gantry crane with a lifting capacity of 40 tonnes;

• Three Vityaz electric gantry jib cranes with lifting capacities of 63 tonnes;

• One Vityaz electric gantry jib crane with a lifting capacity of 100 tonnes.

The two LIEBHERR LHM 550 mobile harbour cranes have a lifting capacity of 124 tones and are planned to be used for container handling at the port. They are due to be delivered to Novorossiysk in October 2012 and are expected to be operational by November 2012. These new cranes are to be installed at berths 16 and 18 of Broad Pier № 1, and will replace old Gottwald cranes with a lifting capacity of 100 tonnes.

The Aist electric gantry crane, produced by SMM, has a lifting capacity of 40 tonnes. It is due to be delivered to Novorossiysk in January 2013 and is expected to be put into operation in February 2013. This crane will be located on the East Pier and will be used for unloading iron ore, iron ore concentrate, iron and ferrous metals.

The first three Vityaz electric gantry cranes, also produced by SMM, each have a lifting capacity of 63 tonnes. The first of these is due to be delivered in March 2013, with commissioning scheduled for April 2013. It will be located on the East Pier and used for unloading iron ore, iron ore concentrate, iron and ferrous metals. This crane can be also used for unloading woodchips, sugar and coal.

The second Vityaz crane is to be delivered in May 2013, with commissioning planned for June 2013. This crane will be installed at berths 5 and 6 of the West Pier and used for loading and unloading of iron ore, iron ore concentrate, iron and ferrous metals, raw sugar, and coal.

The third Vityaz crane is due for delivery in July 2013, and is planned to be operational in August 2013. This crane will be located on Broad Pier №2 and will be used for unloading pig iron, ferrous metals, steel sheets and steel coils.

The fourth Vityaz gantry crane with a lifting capacity of 100 tonnes is due to be delivered in September 2013 and is scheduled to be put into operation in October 2013. This crane will be located at berth 5 of the East Pier and used for loading and unloading iron ore, iron ore concentrate, iron, ferrous metals, raw sugar and coal.

NCSP CEO Rado Antolovich said: “NCSP purchased a LIEBHERR crane for trial purposes in November 2011 and we were satisfied with both the technical and operational characteristics.

“NCSP first purchased cranes manufactured by SMM (St. Petersburg) in 2009. Our first Vityaz crane, with a lifting capacity of 63 tonnes, has worked over 13,482 hours and handled 1,909 thousand tonnes of cargo since 2009. In 2010 and 2011 NCSP purchased two more of these cranes due to their good operational characteristics.

“Due to our effective cooperation with SMM we expect the Aist and Vityaz cranes may be delivered to the port one to two months ahead of schedule.”

About NCSP Group

NCSP Group is the largest Russian port operator and the 3rd operator in Europe in terms of cargo turnover. NCSP shares are traded on Russia’s MICEX exchange (NMTP) and on the London Stock Exchange in the form of GDRs (NCSP). 50.1% shares of PJSC “NCSP” belong to Novoport Holding Ltd, the beneficial owners of which are JSC “Transneft” and Ziyavudin Magomedov (Summa Group). NCSP Group cargo turnover in 2011 totalled 157 million tons. Consolidated revenue according to IFRS in 2011 totalled $1 049 million and EBITDA of $550 million. NCSP Group combines the following stevedore companies: OJSC “Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port”, Primorsk Oil Terminal Ltd (since 2011), PJSC “Novorossiysk Grain Terminal”, OJSC “Novorossiysk Ship Repair Yard”, PJSC “NCSP Fleet”, OJSC “NLE”, OJSC “IPP”, and Baltic Stevedore Company Ltd.

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Dredging Today Staff, August 9, 2012; Image: nmtp