Azerbaijan, Baku, April 11 / Trend /
The Batumi Sea Port (BMP) of Georgia has reached record levels over the first quarter of 2013, the port's news service told Trend.
According to the report, the turnover of dry cargo amounted to record 444,529 tons, 88 529.46 tons (25 percent) more than the planned volume and 93 percent higher than the same period last year.
The leading positions in the transshipment of dry cargo by the port are taken by raw sugar and ore bulk cargoes - up to 26 percent of the port's total turnover, as well as ammonium nitrate with the rate of 22.56 percent. The fulfillment of the plan for the above goods constitutes 53 percent, six percent and 34 percent respectively. Over fulfillment of the plan was also seen in grain cargoes (310 percent), cement (135 percent) and liquid bulk cargoes (seven percent).
During the reporting period, the port handled 169 ships, or 16 more than the same period last year.
Most part of the cargo handled during the reporting period falls for January - 200,228 tons. Imports amounted to 40 percent of the port's total turnover.
The port's plan of the production program of dry cargo for 2013 amounts to 1.8 million tons.
According to the strategic development plan of the Batumi Sea Port to 2020, in 2013, the port will add two new units of reloading universal gantry cranes with a 'Stork MT clamshell' hinged articulated boom with 20/32/40 tons capacity to its fleet of cranes. The delivery process of component parts of the first tap, which will be installed on the dock number 7, has already started, and installation and commissioning will be completed in May- June of this year. Then the crane will be put into operation. As a result, the capacity of the berth will increase by 15-20 percent.
Supply and installation of the second crane is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. After the commissioning of two new cranes, the expected increase in the capacity of the berth number 7 will be up to 40 percent, and of the berth number 8 - 20-40 percent (depending on the category of goods.
Availability of such cranes will increase the rate of the port's handling, reduce the processing time of vessels and increase the competitiveness and status of the Batumi Sea Port in the international market of port services.
Over three months in 2013, the Batumi Oil Terminal of the Batumi Sea Port shipped 1.502 million tons of crude oil and petroleum products, exceeding the plan by 25 percent.
During this period, the terminal handled 1.048 million tons of crude oil, 221,191 tons of heavy fuel oil, gas gasoil as well as gasoline and other petroleum products.