Russia's DELO group, a private transport firm, is doubling the capacity of the NUTEP terminal it acquired half of recently from 350,000 TEU to 600-700,000 TEU," said DELO group CFO Andrei Bubnov.
The company's investment programme is focussed on rail and port infrastructure development, construction of stevedoring facilities, inland oil product storage terminals and construction of a new KSK grain terminal.
Furthermore, the company undertook a "subsequent expansion programme turning the terminal into one of the leading container terminals on the Russian Black Sea coast and in Russia as a whole."
"We are planning to double capacity at NUTEP from 350,000 TEU to 600-700,000 TEU," said DELO group CFO Andrei Bubnov, in a report by the American Journal of Transportation (AJOT).
"This is a breakthrough project for us. It will allow us to handle mother ocean container vessels, which could reshape the entire Black Sea market by allowing direct calls to Novorossiysk bypassing the traditional transhipment hubs."
One of the advantages for ships calling at Novorossiysk is the low bunker prices currently US$200 per ton cheaper than at nearby Istanbul.
"We also expect more consolidation in the market and DELO will continue to invest in strategic assets and launch more innovative services to support continued growth."
Speaking about the impact of the Chinese block on P3 alliance he said that the very fact that it was proposed has already changed the liner shipping market in Russia at least.
Mr Bubnov said at the TOC Conference session on Ports and Liner Shipping in the Russian and Baltic markets, "It prompted the smaller shipping lines serving Russia to consider new niche strategies in order to compete."
One new strategy which is bringing many opportunities for DELO Group is that many of the carriers are expanding into inland operations to offer value-added services along the logistics chain.
"Through our intermodal logistics operator, Global Container Services (GCS), we have an extensive network of road, rail, customs, logistics and warehousing facilities and services."
