STEVEDORE service rates at Russian seaports have gone up by seven to ten per cent since January amid a surge in cargo volume and the weakening ruble. Shippers now fear that rates will continue to rise this year.
The increase in stevedoring rates is partly attributed to a new Russian regulation that requires stevedores to convert their tariffs into rubles, instead of US dollars, which increases processing fees, resulting in higher operating costs, reported IHS Media.
Stevedore charges at Russia's port of St Petersburg are between US$500 and $750 per TEU. Weighing costs $140 to $150 per container. This is two to 2.5 times lower than the Vladivostok to St Petersburg rail transport cost.
In general, Russian cargo handling charges at seaports are 15 to 20 per cent higher than charges at ports at neighbouring countries, such as Finland and the Baltic states. In addition, Russian seaports historically have had a very short free storage period for containers, which in many port of St Petersburg terminals does not exceed 10 days.
Experts predict Russian seaport tariffs will continue to increase at least until 2020, due to rising port capacity utilisation rates, as a result of the Russian economic recovery and the growth in containerised cargo volumes.
Capacity utilisation rates for the past two years demonstrate this uptrend. According to the official statistics from the Russian Association of Commercial Seaports, the average Russian container terminal utilisation rate rose from 42 per cent in 2016 to 49 per cent in 2017 and analysts say that with projected economic growth this year the rate may reach 55 per cent.
The increase in stevedoring rates is partly attributed to a new Russian regulation that requires stevedores to convert their tariffs into rubles, instead of US dollars, which increases processing fees, resulting in higher operating costs, reported IHS Media.
Stevedore charges at Russia's port of St Petersburg are between US$500 and $750 per TEU. Weighing costs $140 to $150 per container. This is two to 2.5 times lower than the Vladivostok to St Petersburg rail transport cost.
In general, Russian cargo handling charges at seaports are 15 to 20 per cent higher than charges at ports at neighbouring countries, such as Finland and the Baltic states. In addition, Russian seaports historically have had a very short free storage period for containers, which in many port of St Petersburg terminals does not exceed 10 days.
Experts predict Russian seaport tariffs will continue to increase at least until 2020, due to rising port capacity utilisation rates, as a result of the Russian economic recovery and the growth in containerised cargo volumes.
Capacity utilisation rates for the past two years demonstrate this uptrend. According to the official statistics from the Russian Association of Commercial Seaports, the average Russian container terminal utilisation rate rose from 42 per cent in 2016 to 49 per cent in 2017 and analysts say that with projected economic growth this year the rate may reach 55 per cent.