The Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Russia's biggest outlet for energy resources, has halted crude oil loadings.
The Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, Russia's biggest outlet for energy resources and commodities such as grain, has halted crude oil loadings but continues to load all other cargoes, a port spokeswoman said on Friday. "Novorossiisk Commercial Sea port continues all types of docking, loading and discharge operations for all types of cargo, except for operations in the Sheskharis oil area, as weather conditions allow them to be carried out safely in the harbour of Novorossiisk port," the spokeswoman said. "At Sheskharis, loading has been stopped, vessels have been taken out on roads, and port equipment has been secured." Transshipment from the Transneft export pipeline system takes place at Sheskharis. Transneft said loadings were halted on Jan. 15. "There will be no loading before Monday, it could be even not before Wednesday," Transneft official Igor Dyomin said. "Transneft continues pumping oil to Novorossiisk, we have enough spare reservoirs." The Russian Federal Hydrometeorological Centre said high winds of between 14 and 17 metres per second will not subside before Tuesday. Earlier on Friday, Novorossiisk said total cargo turnover edged up last year as growth in general cargo shipments, mostly steel, offset declines in crude oil and grain. Russia plans to increase shipments of its Urals crude oil from Novorossiisk to 3.135 million tonnes in January from 2.91 million in December.
