First grain carrier sets out from Murmansk
After three weeks in the port of Murmansk, the grain carrier New Born has set course for Morocco.
The shipment has been hailed as the start of a new export route for Russian grain. According to the Port of Murmansk, the infrastructure and the port workers are well prepared.
"At a time when traditional export routes are facing restrictions, the Port is swiftly opening up an alternative route to foreign markets for Russian farmers," it emphasised in a statement.
Nevertheless, it took the far northern port almost three weeks to load the grain carrier New Born (IMO 9406037).
The ambitions notwithstanding, the Port of Murmansk is struggling with major logistical problems and will hardly be able to provide a credible route for grain exports. A main reason is the capacity of the connecting railway line, which is significantly overstretched.
The 179-metre-long bulker New Born arrived in the Kola Bay on 21 October, traffic data from the maritime intelligence service V4rde show. On 11 November, it set out from Murmansk and sailed into Norwegian Arctic waters.
The ship’s destination is Casablanca, Morocco. On board are 29,500 tonnes of grain, according to the Murmansk port.
The New Born is sailing under the flag of Barbados and is owned by New Born Shipping, a Turkish company. According to information from Myshiptracking, the New Born has repeatedly shipped grain from Novorossiysk, the Black Sea port.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has made the Black Sea a high-risk region for shipping. Following several attacks against merchant vessels, Russian authorities have been trying to re-direct grain shipments to alternative ports. According to Reuters, about 1,2 million tons of grain was exported via Russian Baltic ports in September, which amounted to more than 60 percent of the country’s grain exports.
