OREANDA-NEWS. 8`000 mts of steel plates were loaded in open sea onto mv "BeiHai", going from Mariupol port (Ukraine) to EU ports. Loading was performed in the offshore zone of the Black sea. Total cargo quantity loaded on board of the vessel 33`000 mts.

“Metinvest Group has become the first company on the world market, who took responsibility for topping - off at the outer roads, when the risk of damage to both cargo and vessel is high enough. We elaborated this project in the team of specialists from Metinvest, Transship and Portinvest. The first exam passed perfectly thanks to the coordinated work together “, - commented Olga Ovchinnikova, director of logistics of Metinvest Group.

“After this successful loading Transship emerged as undisputed leader in the market topping-of and lighterage operations“, - noted Aleksander Smyrnov, General director of PORTINVEST Holding.

Transshipment accomplished by unique transshipment complex "Afina" of Transship company, which has proved to be excellent for topping-off such cargoes like iron ore to Capesize vessels and pig iron to Panamax and Supramax vessels in the offshore zone of the Black Sea.

According to Olga Ovchinnikova increase of cargo stem size by road handling allows to significantly reduce transportation costs and freight rates: “The economic effect of around USD 2,5/t is a significant increase of the competitiveness of products and the opportunity to develop new markets for the company”.

Experts of Portinvest Holding coordinated the loading of the steel plates at outer roads, as well as the loading of iron ore concentrate and pig iron.

“Handling of rolled steel and steel plates especially - is a complex and important process, carried out by dockers in the port. In the open sea it is much more difficult to do due to a number of natural and technological limitations: wind, sea state, the limited size of the holds space, the need for assistive technology and devices for cargo operations and cargo lashing. Currently we analyze the results of this loading to identify the additional reserves by improving processes and operations of loading works both on the roads and in the port”, - notes Aleksander Smyrnov, general director of Portinvest Holding.

In April 2014 Metinvest Group for the first time on the market, together with the companies Transship and Portinvest, carried out transshipment of pig iron (23`000 mts) on the roads in the offshore zone of the Black Sea.