Murmansk Bulk Terminal sends 100,000 t of fertilizer to Africa from client of Baltic ports

MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - Murmansk Bulk Terminal LLC (MBT), which is managed by the Port Alliance, has fully carried out a contract it secured in March due to the difficult ice conditions in the Gulf of Finland to urgently ship 100,000 tonnes of potash fertilizer, the terminal reported.

"The first vessel with a potash shipment of 50,000 tonnes was sent to South Africa on March 12 and the second on March 22," MBT said.

Supramax bulk carriers with deadweight of up to 65,000 tonnes were used in order to reduce the number of voyages and cut overall shipping costs compared to alternative routes.

MBT reported on March 5 that it had signed a contract with a cargo shipper that works with ports in the Baltic basin to ship 100,000 tonnes of fertilizer. MBT began handling potash fertilizer in December without disclosing the cargo shippers, sending vessels to South America.

The route through Murmansk is a reliable alternative to foreign ports on the Baltic Sea and a promising route for developing Russian exports, the terminal said.

MBT handled 2.8 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, 28.2% less than in 2024.

MBT, which is located within the boundaries of the Port of Murmansk on Kola Bay, handles apatite concentrate, mineral fertilizer (ammophos, urea, DAP and nitrogen-phosphate fertilizer). The terminal can accommodate Capesize and Panamax class vessels and has capacity to handle 8.7 million tonnes of cargo annually. It has three berths with a combined length of 677 meters.

JSC Port Alliance, which was established in March 2024, also includes JSC Murmansk Commercial Seaport , Murmansk Container Terminal LLC, Tuapse Bulk Terminal LLC, Daltransugol and Maly Port LLC (in Nakhodka, Primorye). The company's five terminals have combined capacity to handle over 53 million tonnes of cargo per year.