Baltic Coal Terminal
| This article is part of the Global Coal Terminals Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor. |
| Please visit Global Energy Monitor to download the dataset |
| Sub-articles: |
| Related-articles: |
The Baltic Coal Terminal is a specialized coal terminal at Ventspils Port in Latvia. The Ventspils Port also exports coal through the Ventspills Commercial Port terminal.
Location
The terminal is located in the Free port of Ventspils, Latvia.
Terminal and proposed expansion
The construction permit for the proposed coal terminal was issued by the Ventspils City Council in July 2005.[1]
The coal terminal was officially opened on November 24, 2008.[2] The main purpose of the terminal is to store and ship Russian coal to Western Europe and the USA.[3]
The annual capacity of the terminal is six million tonnes of coal. Owner JSC Baltic Coal planned to expand capacity to 10.5 million tonnes, although the timetable was unclear. The construction of a second berth was described as "started" in 2013.[4] In 2013, the Freeport of Ventspils Authority also reported "Jetty No.1 [was] getting dismantled with an aim to start the second round of 'Baltic Coal Terminal' development and boost turnover up to 10 million tons." [5]
However, as of 2021, the capacity was still listed as 6 million tons per annum.[6][7] The proposed expansion may be cancelled.
However in January 2023, it was reported that Telf AG has reached an investment agreement in cooperation with strategic consortium partners from Kazakhstan, with planned completion in Q1 2023. According to the "Telf AG has cooperated with Baltic Coal Terminal for years and hopes that new investments will help significantly develop both the terminal’s and the sea port’s total transit potential and capacity". "Investments into Baltic Coal Terminal is a strategic long-term cooperation decision for Kazakh investors and Telf AG. The terminal’s existing handling capacity is up to six million tonnes a year. The terminal’s development project is ready and provides for a significant boost of the terminal’s handling capacity.[8]
It therefore appeared that the expansion project to 10.5 million tonnes was being revived. However there were no further news on this, as of November 2023. The expansion project was introduced on the Baltic Coal Terminal website, but nowhere else.[9]
Decreasing coal shipments, 2022 reversal
In 2020, Ventspils Freeport’s terminals processed 12.9 million tonnes of freights, which was 37% less than a year prior. According to the port authority, the decline in freights was primarily attributed to the almost "complete halt of bituminous coal exports": The volume of coal decreased 90% when compared to 2019, because Russia – the country of origin – almost completely diverted coal freights to its own ports.[10] Coal transhipments fell from 5.5 million tonnes in 2019 to only 0.5 million tonnes in 2020.[11]
In October 2021, after nearly a year-long pause, AS Baltic Coal Terminal (BCT) received a shipment of 81,000 tonnes of coal from Kazakhstan intended for European consumers.[12]
Despite a drastic decline in coal handling in 2020 and 2021, 2022 volumes rose to 3.5 million tonnes.[11] As Latvia has the infrastructure to store and handle coal, it managed to attract coal transit from new regions such as Kazakhstan, Africa and other countries.[13] According to an industry report by Argus, 2.4 million tonnes of coal was shipped from Kazakhstan to Ventspils port in 2022.[14] However in the first half of 2023, coal handling volumes in the port have reportedly reduced, although no figures were available.[15]
Ownership
Baltic Coal Terminal JSC was incorporated in January 2005. The shareholders are Latvian stevedore company Ventspils Tirdzniecības Osta (Ventspils Commercial Port) and the Indteс Baltic Coal LLC, a subsidiary of Indtec Finanse B.V., which owns Russian coal mine Zarechnaya of Kuznetsk Basin.[3][2]
In 2019, Latvian politician and businessman Aivars Lembergs and four entities that he owns or controls were hit by U.S. sanctions on corruption allegations. According to the U.S. sanctions statement, Lembergs either owns or controls Ventspils Freeport Authority, Ventspils Development Agency, Business Development Association, and Latvian Transit Business Association.[16][17]
According to companies' database, from 2018 the company is owned by Ventspils Tirdzniecības Osta AS (50%, Ventspils Commercial Port AS) and IAG Industrieanlagen GMBH (50%, Austria).[18][19]
Design
The Baltic Coal Terminal was the first closed-end coal terminal in the Baltic region. The terminal was designed by the Latvian company Ierosme, and the construction was carried out by Ventspils Tirdzniecības Osta-G. A new pier with two quays for coal handling was designed by the architect offices Veralux Ehitus and it was constructed by Latvijas Tilti. The terminal equipment was provided by Fam Мagdeburger Förderanlagen und Baumaschinen.[2] The total amount of the investments made reaches €75 million, which includes bank financing as well as shareholders' investments. The bank syndicate included DnB NORD, Nordea, and UniCredit.[2][3]
Project Details
- Owner: Baltic Coal Terminal JSC
- Parent: Ventspils Commercial Port AS (50%), IAG Industrieanlagen GMBH (50%)
- Location: Free Port of Ventspils, Latvia
- Coal Capacity (tonnes per annum): 6 million
- Additional Proposed Coal Capacity (tonnes per annum): 4.5 million
- Status: Operating
- Start year: 2008
- Type: Exports (to US and western Europe)
- Source of Coal: Russia, Kazakhstan
References
- ↑ Peter James Crew (2005-07-19). "Green light for Ventspils coal terminal". Baltic Business News. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Alla Petrova (2008-11-24). "JSC Baltic Coal Terminal is launched at Ventspils Port". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 DnB NORD (2007-08-22). "Bank consortium and AS „BALTIC COAL TERMINAL” sign the agreement on granting of loan in excess of EUR 50 million". Press release. Retrieved on 2009-02-07.
- ↑ "Developments In Coal Terminals Worldwide," Dry Cargo International, February 19, 2013
- ↑ "Freeport of Ventspils Registers 26.3 Mln Tn Cargo Turnover in 11 Months of 2013," Freeport of Ventspils Authority, December 12, 2013
- ↑ "About company," Baltic Coal terminal, accessed October 2021
- ↑ "Baltic Coal Terminal," Port of Ventspils, accessed October 2021
- ↑ "Swiss TELF AG forms consortium for investments into Baltic Coal Terminal". /batl.lv/. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "About Company", Baltic Coal Terminal, accessed October 3rd, 2024
- ↑ "Ventspils port terminal retains stable freight turnover," BNN, January 14, 2021
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Kravu apgrozījums Ventspils ostā janvāris-decembris 2012. - 2022. g. (tūkst.t.)" (PDF). www.vialatvia.com. 2023.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 33 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Baltic Coal Terminal commences environmentally friendly handling of coal freights," BNN, October 22, 2021
- ↑ "Latvijas ostās pieaug kravu apgrozījums". lvportals.lv. December 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Coal in Kazakhstan: an overview of production and prospects". 2023.minexkazakhstan.com. March 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Latvijas ostās pieaug labības, konteineru un celtniecības kravu apgrozījums". www.db.lv. September 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Latvian government seizes control of main ports after U.S. sanctions," Reuters, December 12, 2019
- ↑ [reuters.com/article/us-latvia-sanctions-usa-idUSKBN1YE16C "Latvian oligarch hits back at corruption charges as U.S. clamps down,"] Reuters, December 10, 2019
- ↑ "BALTIC COAL TERMINAL, AS". lursoft.lv. Retrieved November 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Šveicē bāzētais uzņēmums "Telf AG" investēs "Baltic Coal Terminal" Ventspilī 6". www.la.lv. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
Wikipedia also has an article on Baltic Coal Terminal. This article may use content from the Wikipedia article under the terms of the GFDL.
