Russia may start transshipments of Belarusian oil products in 2017

KAZAN, Oct 23 (PRIME) -- Russia may start transshipping some Belarusian oil products through local ports in 2017, Deputy Transport Minister Viktor Olersky told reporters on October 21.

“The conclusion made at the meeting is as follows -- transportation costs from Belarusian oil refineries to Baltic ports – we compared with the port of Ventspils – is comparable to the cost of the service for St. Petersburg and Vysotsk. We understood that at the meeting. The Belarusian colleagues said that they will study the option, and we continued the talks,” he said.

“They said that they sign contracts on a tender basis, and many contracts have been signed, but I think we will be able to attain some volume (of transshipment of Belarusian oil products through Russian ports). I think it will happen this year.”

Russia exports up to 24 million tonnes of crude to Belarus for refining. But Belarus transships oil products made from the crude via Baltic ports of Ventspils, Klaipeda, and Muuga. In August 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to work out a way to switch the transshipment to Russian ports.

Earlier in October, a source familiar with the matter told PRIME that Olersky discussed exports of up to 1 million tonnes of Belarusian oil products via Russian ports. The main reason why Belarusian refineries do not use Russian ports is high tariffs, but the source said that the ports are ready to cut them if export volumes are guaranteed. The Russian Energy Ministry is working on the issue together with the Belarusian authority, the source said.

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