Asia/Pacific News
New Russian Far East Transhipment Centre Looks to Save Bunker Buyers Time and Money
Tranzit-DV Group says its new floating transhipment centre at Slavyanka port in Russia's Far East will allow shippers to perform their regular cargo operations at a strategic location and lift low cost bunkers at anchorage, Aleksander Saenko, Deputy Director of the group's Singapore subsidiary Tranzit DV Singapore Pte Ltd, has told Ship & Bunker.
The new Roads Transshipment Complex (TOR), which is owned and operated by the Group, officially started operations in March of 2015 and Saenko says it could also help double bunker volumes at the port.
"We're targeting all shipowners, those who are coming from the U.S. West Coast, Asia, and Europe. The source of cargo is from Northern China (Jilin Province) where it comes [to Slavyanka port] by rail."
Saenko explained that at present, such cargo is delivered by rail to Dalian port and then by feeder vessels to Shanghai or other major ports for loading onto ocean going vessels (OGVs).
"What we now offer to the ship owners is to go directly to Slavyanka and have the cargo go directly onto OGVs, avoiding the feeders. This can cut delivery time from factory in China to place loading to OGVs in half," he said.
The cost savings come from the fact that vessels performing cargo operations at the Far East port do not have to pay tax on bunkers, which at the moment means savings of around $60 per metric tonne.
Boosting Bunker Volumes
In addition to TOR, Tranzit-DV Group operates the oil terminal at the port, and is also a physical supply there.
"Annual bunker volumes for the port grew from 150,000 metric tonnes (mt) in 2013 to around 800,000 mt in 2014. We are very happy with this growth," said Saenko.
"But if the economic situation and the oil prices allow, in 2015 we aim to double this figure. It's not a problem. Last year all markets in the Russian Far East made almost 100 percent jump. Volumes have doubled."
Given that shippers making bunkers only calls are not eligible to receive tax free bunkers, Russian authorities are looking to clamp down on so-called "fake" cargo operations by those trying to take advantage of the system.
"In such transactions vessels are maybe transferring a few barrels of lube oil, or maybe they take on a few tonnes of water and then say they qualify for tax free bunkers. Right now this is a grey area for ship owners," explained Saenko.
"But with the new transshipment centre there will be no grey area. Vessels will have a real opportunity to lift cargoes for delivery around the world."
The floating complex itself consists of a 1,700 dwt floating crane that is able to raise containers weighing up to 50 tonnes to a height of up to 36 metres.
"We can process the largest container carriers up to 400 m in length at a rate of one container per minute," said Saenko.
"All incoming container ships are parked at anchorage with dead anchors. Then, the floating crane is moved towards the vessel and moored right next to it. Solid mooring allows for fast loading and unloading cargo operations."
Earlier this year Ship & Bunker reported that Russia's Far East region accounted for 47 percent of total Russian bunker sales volumes in 2014.
