Ukraine-based Informall Business Group in its latest Black Sea Container Market review reports a rise of 9.63% in loaded containers handling in the Black Sea container ports of Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia in 2016 as compared to 2015, writes PortNews. The growth can be attributed to loaded exports which increased in the region by 12.61%, primarily due to a record surge in export volumes from Ukraine (+29.64%) and Russia (+24.01%). In other countries these volumes were stable, except for Georgia, where they dropped by 14.93%. Import volumes also grew in 2016, although not that much, by 6.95%, mostly due to Ukraine (+31.93%). In Georgia imports dropped by 11.56% and in Russia – by 1.57%.

In 2016, the Black Sea ports of Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia handled in total 2,460,028 TEU, of which 1,785,618 TEU were loaded containers (transhipment moves excluded). The growth of loaded containers handling was reported in all the countries: Ukraine (+30.66%), Russia (+7.52%), Romania (+4.71%) and Bulgaria (+4.65%), except for Georgia, where these volumes dropped by 12.09%.

Therefore, the shares of the Black Sea countries in handling loaded containers in 2016 were as follows: Ukraine – 29.87%, Romania – 24.99%, Russia – 24.92%, Georgia – 10.93%, Bulgaria – 9.29%.

Overall loaded/empty container ratio in the region is 72.59% / 27.41%. Within the total volume of loaded containers in 2016, imports constitute 51.37%, and exports – 48.63%.

The TOP-5 container terminals of the region have changed just slightly in 2016: DP World Constanta (Romania) retained its leading position, HPC Ukraine in Odessa has moved from the third up into the second position, having ousted APM Terminals Poti (Georgia) with its throughput drop by 15.82% into the third line. Two Russian terminals in Novorossiysk – Novoroslesexport (NLE) and NUTEP – exchanged their places: NLE is now #5 and NUTEP is #4.

The list of leading shipping lines operating in the region has not changed in 2016. Maersk Line makes up 24.21% of the market, followed by MSC (20.44%), CMA CGM (10.47%), ARKAS (10.16%) and ZIM (8.10%). It is worth noting that ARKAS has demonstrated a considerable growth in loaded containers in 2016, which allowed it increase its share, almost equal to CMA CGM.

Container throughput of Black Sea ports, TEU

Loaded containers

	2016	2015	Dynamics
Ukraine	533,278	408,155	+30.66%
Romania	446,275	426,213	+4.71%
Russia	444,940	413,829	+7.52%
Georgia	195,230	222,081	-12.09%
Bulgaria	165,895	158,519	+4.65%
Total	1,785,618	1,628,797	+9.63%