8 Nov 2024 16:43

Makhachkala port begins handling potash fertilizers from Belarus, will ship up to 40,000 tonnes by year's end

MAKHACHKALA. Nov 8 (Interfax) - JSC Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port in Dagestan has begun handling large shipments of potash fertilizers from Belarus, the port's Telegram channel said.

"Today, Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port began handling large shipments of potash fertilizers from Belarus. It plans to ship around 35,000-40,000 tonnes of potash fertilizers by the end of the year and more than 200,000 tonnes next year," the port's CEO Jamal Aliyev was quoted as saying.

The port plans to expand the geography of it supplies as part of developing the North-South transport corridor. It plans to ship products via a route running from Belarus to India via Makhachkala, Aliyev said. Negotiations on increasing transportation between the port of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan and Makhachkala port are ongoing. Cargo from Russia could transit through Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and in the opposite direction.

"In addition, container shipments are starting from India through Iranian ports and the port of Makhachkala and then through Russia. In this way, Makhachkala is becoming Russia's largest logistics hub of the North-South transport corridor," Aliyev said.

As previously reported, the Makhachkala port plans to increase cargo handling 5%-10% in 2024, with growth potentially supported by larger amounts of grain and cement handling.

Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port is Russia's only ice-free and deep-water port in the Caspian Sea. It can accept vessels up to 150 meters in length and with a draft of up to 4.5 meters, the port's website said. The company operates facilities for handling dry cargo with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year, light and heavy oil products (7.9 million tonnes), berths for general and bulk cargo and containers (1.2 million tonnes), as well as rail and car ferry terminals (1.3 million tonnes) and a grain terminal (0.5 million tonnes).