MOSCOW: Russia’s seaborne grain exports fell to 2.8 million metric tons in October, down 55.8 percent year-on-year, as shipments via southern ports were brought to a near-standstill by drone attacks, according to shipping data from industry sources released on Friday.
Total seaborne exports have reached 9.0 million tons so far this season, down 53.8 percent year-on-year, according to the data.
A significant part of Russian grain destined for export is making its way out of Russia through a new route — through Baltic Sea terminals and the Arctic port of Murmansk —the data showed.
Exports via Baltic and Arctic Sea terminals increased by 800 percent to 1.72 million tons in October, while shipments via Black Sea terminals fell by 94 percent to 339,000 tons.
Russian companies have been repurposing fertilizer, coal, and other cargo terminals at Baltic and Arctic ports, including Ust-Luga and Murmansk, to handle grain exports, but the capacity of these ports was still not enough to offset the loss of southern ports.
Exports via Caspian and Far East terminals more than doubled in October year-on-year but remained at low levels. Shipments via the Caspian Sea increased by 113.5 percent to 580,000 tons and via Far East terminals by 158.8 percent to 136,000 tons, the data showed.
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