Murmansk Bulk Terminal has started handling export potash, loading its first 35,000 tonnes shipment on December 21, reported Saint Petersburg's PortNews.

Under contract terms, the terminal will move up to 1.5 million tonnes in 2026. The fertilisers are supplied from a Central Russia enterprise, with exports routed through the ice-free deep-water port to South American markets.

MBT recently upgraded its warehouse capacity to 16,000 tonnes and introduced technology for simultaneous loading into different vessel holds. A Vityaz portal crane, capable of handling 60 hoppers per day, was installed at Berth No 17.

The agreement strengthens MBT's role as a strategic option for Russian exporters. Murmansk port provides reliable access for producers from northwest and central Russia, with MBT's annual throughput projected at 8.4 million tonnes.

Russia exports 13 million tonnes of potash annually, mainly via Baltic ports. The launch of shipments through Murmansk enhances resilience and offers flexible logistics solutions for producers.

MBT is located on the shore of Kola Bay and is the only Arctic terminal handling mineral fertilisers, providing year-round access to global transport and logistics centres.