According to Anatoly Kruchinin, Severstal’s general director, “Beginning of the year was rather difficult mainly due to a difficulty in the Baltic Sea as well as other external events. However, redirecting of cargo to Murmansk and renting of an ice-breaker to pave the way to metal loaded ships in the Baltic Sea had helped us overcome the problem. The company practically met goals for shipment of rolled steel for this period. In order to achieve production goals set in the fourth quarter overhaul of equipment units was done.

February manufacturing plans are also quite high. Severstal plans to produce 693,000 tonnes of rolled steel. To assure meeting its export program, the company intends to use ports of St. Petersburg (Avtovo and New Port), which can ship up to 250,000 tonnes a month, and Murmansk port which is able to process 60,000 tonnes.

05 Febrary 2003