---

Baltic Fuel Company (BFC) has put into operation the second berth at its own marine fuel terminal, MTT Turukhtannye Islands, in the port of St. Petersburg.

In a statement, the company said: "The complete reconstruction of the SV-15 berth has been performed by Baltic Fuel Company within the framework of a large-scale project on expansion of its own terminal in the port of St. Petersburg.

"The project documentation has also been elaborated and the public hearings have already been held. Approval of land reclamation within a water body has been obtained from the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot). Besides, planning scheme and boundary-setting plan have been developed. Water supply and water consumption networking is in process according to issued specifications. Construction of the power network (3.4 MW in capacity) has commenced. Obtaining of gas limits is being worked out and construction of a boiler station begins."

State expert approval and a permit for construction are due to be obtained before the end of 2014, the company added.

The fuel terminal occupies a 7.3-hectare plot of land with two berths being used for the transshipment of oil products. In 2013, the facility handled some 500,000 tonnes.

Once reconstruction is completed (forecast to be in 2015-6), the terminal's throughput is expected to reach 1.7 million tonnes of oil products per annum. From 2017, BFC says the terminal will annually handle up to 2.4 million tonnes of products; from 2020 the company expects the figure to be up to 4-5 million tonnes.

Investments into the project are estimated at $110 million.