In May Ukrzaliznytsia foiled delivery terms of iron ore to the Berdyansk sea trade port for short sea traffic to Azovstal Iron and Steel Works.
“As Ukrzaliznytsia failed to provide 23 cargo trains per day through Kamysh-Zarya route, we had to look for alternative sources of raw materials supplies. Each of them considerably increases delivery expenses, but the most efficient of them is short sea traffic from Berdyansk port directly to Azovstal port”, the company CEO Enver Tskitishvili said.
But the metal makers witness Ukrzaliznytsia inability to deliver the needed volumes of iron ore raw materials to the port.
“Out of 100 thousand tons of concentrate planned for May we will receive 50% at best, and all because of the absence of locomotives. The minimum requirement is 4, while now only 2 operate. Roads to Berdyansk are oversupplied, Ukrzaliznytsia does not confirm transportation plans nor approve of supply terms. The port is idle, and so are we”, he added.
Because of the lack of raw materials in May Azovstal will not produce 20 thousand tons of steel, and the country will not receive $9 million.
On May 14, the works had to shut down its blast furnace for a day because of the lack of raw materials.
“Now all we have to do is “thank” Ukrzaliznytsia and Mr. Balczun personally for such a “help” to metal makers in a difficult time for all the country”, Tskitishvili declared. (Ukrainian metal)