Russia's Demetra-Holding assumes co-ownership of Astrol Shipping Company

MOSCOW. Jan 10 (Interfax) - Demetra-Holding, one of the largest infrastructure players on Russia's grain market, has assumed co-ownership of 25% in Astrol Shipping Company LLC, data in the Unified State Registry of Legal Entities (USRLE) indicate.

Demetra-Holding told Interfax that the deal is part of the strategy to develop transport and logistics infrastructure to support the export potential of Russia's agro-industrial complex. The acquisition implements the holding's previously announced plans to form a fleet of dry cargo ships under the Russian flag for transporting agricultural crops.

Demetra-Holding has specified that Astrol's fleet comprises 10 RSD-59 bulk carriers designed to transport grain and other agricultural products.

Astrol generated revenue of 3.33 billion rubles in 2023 versus 3.55 billion rubles the previous year, according to the company's reporting. Astrol was registered in 2017.

Demetra-Holding is the largest vertically integrated infrastructure holding in Russia, uniting assets in the area of export logistics and grain trading. The company is developing its own network of elevators, and owns deep-water sea grain terminals and a logistics infrastructure. The holding participates in the ownership of Russia's largest grain terminals, namely the Novorossiysk grain terminal (100%), PJSC Novorossiysk Grain Plant (NKHP) (35.36%), and Taman Grain Terminal (50%).

Demetra owns 50% minus-1 share in JSC OZK (United Grain Company); 100% in the Rusagrotrans, LP Trans, Freight Company railway operators; as well as over 75% in Smartseeds, the leading digital platform for grain transportation in Russia. The company owns 100% of the shares in the Demetra Trading grain trader, Ipatovsky Bakery Plant, and the Nash Soyuz [Our Union], Oktyabrsky, Chernyshkovsky, and Dimitrovgrad elevators.