Berth reconstruction completed at Russia's Ust-Luga Port

Russian state-owned marine services provider and port operator Rosmorport has confirmed that work to rebuild an existing berth at the Port of Ust-Luga has been completed, allowing operations to resume at the berth.

The terminal complex reconstruction works within the Ultramar marine terminal were carried out as part of a project by the country's federal government.

The works also entailed deepening of the berth's water area to 17.2 metres.

Rosmorport, acting as the client for the terminal water area reconstruction, oversaw the contractor's removal of more than 288,000 cubic metres of soil from a 5.08-hectare area to achieve the specified parameters.

The upgraded berth is intended to be used for transshipping fertiliser both in containers and in bulk.

Combined with previously commissioned berthing facilities at the terminal, the safe entry of vessels with draughts of up to 15.35 metres is now ensured, according to Rosmorport.

The operator also said the increased water area size and depth will improve the terminal's capabilities in loading bulk cargo such as mineral fertiliser, iron ore pellets and hot-briquetted iron from shore-based storage onto seagoing ships.

Rosmorport expects that by 2030, upon completion of the entire reconstruction project, the Ultramar terminal's annual handling capacity would be increased from the current 29.5 million tons to 44.5 million tons.