Russia's seaborne grain exports dropped by 61.9% year on year in September to almost 2.0 million metric tons due to a sharp decline in shipments via the ports of the Azov-Black Sea basin, according to shipping data from industry sources.
Total seaborne exports have amounted to 6.0 million tons so far this season, 61.5% down year on year, the data shows.
Exports via terminals in the Black Sea and in the Sea of Azov fell by 93.7% to 0.3 million tons in September year on year, the data shows.
More than 60% of exported seaborne grain was loaded via north western terminals, which became an alternative to the Azov-Black Sea basin, though still not enough to fully replace lost volumes through Black Sea ports. Exports via Baltic ports reached 1.2 million tons compared with only 47,400 tons in September the previous year, data shows.
Russian grain exporters are actively rerouting shipments to the Baltic Sea, including ports in the Baltic states, after Ukrainian drone attacks in the Black Sea forced them to seek alternative routes.
Exports via the Caspian Sea, a route primarily serving Iran, increased by 45.7% to 0.4 million tons, and deliveries through Far East terminals increased by 43.1% to 0.05 million tons in September.
(Reuters)