One of the largest container terminals in Russia, Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company (VSC) stopped its coal handling services and by the end of the year, the capacities will be adapted for container storage.
The last consignments of coal cargo were loaded onto outgoing vessel and shipped to recipients on 2 September 2021, while the dismantling of dust screens and dust suppression equipment has already started at the terminal.
The decision to cease coal handling services and focus on the container cargo was made in view of the significant increase in container handling volumes in the first half of the current year, according to the announcement.
“Using the converted capacity for containers will allow VSC to handle the increased import and export flows of this cargo in a more efficient way,” said Ilia Dolgiy, Managing Director of Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company, and added that the decision to phase out coal handling “will allow the terminal to reduce its environmental impact.”
Global Ports Group’s part, VSC has been handling coal since 2011 and in the first half of 2021, it handled 925,000 tons of coal, while the terminal’s container throughput, which has increased by 20% over the last seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2020, reached 303,000TEU.
