In the first 11 months of 2024, the Russian Baltic ports handled a total of 3.1 million tons of grain, with nearly half of this volume being exported. The port of Ust-Luga, part of the Novotrans holding’s Lugaport project, saw a significant grain throughput of 54,500 tons. This marks a notable increase compared to previous years, as the terminal becomes an increasingly crucial hub for grain export in the region.
The leading port for grain export in the North-West remains High Seaport in the Leningrad region. Through the LLC “Port of High” facility, nearly 978,000 tons of grain were shipped abroad, representing an 80.5% increase from the previous year. This makes High Seaport the largest gateway for grain exports from the Baltic ports, particularly for bulk commodities.
In addition to Ust-Luga, Kaliningrad terminals such as ZAO “Sodruzhestvo Soy,” AO “Port Elevator,” and AO “Kaliningrad Sea Port” also contributed significantly to the Baltic grain export, together handling 364,300 tons (-5.2%). The role of these terminals highlights the diversity and adaptability of the grain export infrastructure in the Baltic region. However, the bulk of grain handling continues to be concentrated in the Azov-Black Sea basin, where Russia’s major grain export terminals are located, accounting for over 98% of the national grain transshipment.
The limited role of Baltic ports in Russia’s overall grain export capacity is reflected in their total share of 2%. This discrepancy underscores the challenges these ports face, including limited storage capacity and the lack of specialized handling equipment, which hampers their ability to efficiently manage large volumes of grain. Despite this, the increase in throughput at Ust-Luga and High Seaport suggests that Baltic ports are becoming increasingly important in the global grain supply chain, particularly as Russia seeks to diversify its export routes in response to global market dynamics.
The 3.1 million tons of grain handled by Russian Baltic ports in 2024, with half exported, highlights the growing importance of these ports in the global grain trade. While still secondary to the Azov-Black Sea ports in terms of volume, the Baltic ports, especially High Seaport and Ust-Luga, are becoming crucial players in meeting international demand. To further enhance their role, investments in infrastructure, specialized handling equipment, and strategic planning will be essential for Baltic ports to better compete on the global stage.
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