1,741 thou. tonnes handled - January outcome higher than the last year's

09.02.2004

Last year's favourable results sharpened the appetites, though, on the other hand, the assessment of the market condition imposed rather conservative approach. Thus, the outcome of the first month of new year had been awaited with particular interest. Fortunately, the actual conditions had proved more conducive than those experienced in the respective period of the previous year. In the first month of new year, the Gdansk stevedores had handled a total amount of 1,740,910 tonnes, whilst in January 2003 - 1,481,570 tonnes. These figures show an increase in cargo handling of 259,340 tonnes.

The highest ratings and best dynamics had been recorded for the fuel handling. In January this year, fuels amounted to 1,002,599 tonnes, whereas in January 2003 - 629,645 tonnes. Similarly, the general cargo outcome had successfully outgrown that of the last year's - a growth in the handling volume totaled 178,281 tonnes (297,284 tonnes in January this year vs. 119,003 tonnes in January last year). As regards "other bulk", the Gdansk stevedores had handled 265,365 tonnes, i.e. 39,667 tonnes more than in January 2003.

In line with the outlooks - January had displayed a considerable drop in terms of coal turnover. In the first month of this year, it amounted to as much as 325,862 tonnes (as compared with January 2003), as not more than 158,177 tonnes had been handled. A drop in the handling volumes had also been reported for grain and amounted to 5,700 tonnes, whilst a total volume of grain handled ran at 17,485 tonnes.

In view of the limited coal turnover that had already been envisaged last year, maintaining the cargo handling ratings at a targeted level will prove rather difficult as replacing the gap that had been created with other cargoes seems to be a difficult task to accomplish and, therefore satisfying are the high-level crude oil volumes. This month saw a call of another two "mammoths" i.e. 300-thousand vessels and this event allows more optimistic outlooks towards the future.

The figures on cargo handling volumes set out above, after the information from all quays have been compiled and completed, along with the archive data will be available on graphs in the "Cargo statistics" section.