Russia: New Container Line Comes to VSC Terminal

AC-3 – a new regular ocean container line of Maersk – launched a service to the container terminal Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company LLC (a Global Ports group company). The first vessel to call at the VSC terminal was a 4,389 TEU Maersk Drammen.

For convenience of the customers, the VostochnyPort has for the first time offered for AC-3 service a vessel pre-clearance procedure available through a “fill bill” customs information portal. This allowed to significantly decrease the time required to clear a vessel through the customs and to obtain a permit for cargo handling operations.

Vessels of the service will call at the VSC terminal on a weekly basis. AC-3 service operates eight Panamax vessels. Rotation of the service: Lazaro Cardenas (Mexico) – Balboa (Panama) – Buenaventura (Columbia) – Lazaro Cardenas (Mexico) – Vostochny (Russia) – Qingdao (China) – Busan (South Korea) – Kwangyang (South Korea) – Yokohama (Japan) – Lazaro Cardenas (Mexico).

In addition, ocean vessels are operated by FESCO China Direct Line (FCDL), Sinokor Merchant Marine Co. and ZIM lines having services to the VSC terminal.

On Monday, August 29, vessels of the following shipping lines call at the container terminal: MAERSK Line; Sinokor Merchant Marine; APL; CKL, KMTC, PCL; SASCO; FESCO: China Direct Line (FCDL); joint line of Japan Trans Siberian Line (JTSL); Korean Soviet Direct Line (KSDL). Coastal lines: Kamchatka Lines LLC; TEP; FML (FESCO Magadan Line).

Vostochnaya stevedoring company LLC is the largest container terminal on the Russia’s Far East operating at Vostochny port. 25% of the company belongs to DP World, 75% – to Global Ports.

Global Ports Investments PLC is the leading operator of container terminals in the Russian market. Global Ports accounts for 30% of the total container volumes in the Russian ports and 28% of the total exports of fuel oil from the former Soviet Union countries (according to Drewry, an industry consulting company). Global Ports is part of N-Trans group, one of the largest private transportation and infrastructure operators in Russia. Global Ports’ terminals are located in the Baltic and Far EastBasins, key regions for foreign trade cargo flows. Global Ports operates three container terminals in Russia (Petrolesport, Moby Dik in St. Petersburg and Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company in the VostochnyPort) and two container terminals in Finland (Multi-Link Helsinki and Multi-Link Kotka). Global Ports also includes Yanino logistics park located in the vicinity of St. Petersburg and a major oil terminal Vopak E.O.S. in Estonia. In June 2011 Global Ports listed its GDRs at the London Stock Exchange (GLPR).

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Source: vscport, August 31, 2011.