Yevgeny Korban: “Rosterminalugol feels confident about the future”
Rosterminalugol, the largest coal terminal in the North-West of Russia from which Ust-Luga port originated, is going to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. On the threshold of this event, the Company’s Managing Director Yevgeny Korban gives an interview to IAA PortNews.
—Mr. Korban, could you, please, tell about Rosterminalugol in the year of 2015.
— When speaking about this year it is typical to mention the crisis implications but this year has been a success for us. Total throughput in 2015 is expected to reach a record-high level of 16.5 mln t, which exceeds our annual plan by 18%. This indicator grows from year to year. In 2013 Rosterminalugol over-fulfilled its plan by 7%, in 2014 – by 12%.
By the end of 2015, the number of calls will make 270, slightly down from the results of 2013–2014. Yet, it is easy to explain – vessels coming to the berths of Rosterminalugol in 2015 are larger in deadweight.
As for cargo delivered by railways, unloading of 235,000 rolling-stock units is expected to exceed the result of 2014 by 4.7%, the result of 2013 – by 11%.
—What are the countries receiving the coal shipped via Rosterminalugol? What are the key consumer of this coal?
— Coal is exported primarily to our long-time partners in Cyprus and Singapore - CARBO ONE LIMITED ILC, International Logistic Corporation PTE Limited and TELF AG (Switzerland).
Coal shipped from the berths of our coal terminal goes mainly to Europe. Major customers in 2015 are Norway, UK, Germany, Spain, Brasilia, Italy, Israel, Turkey, Slovenia, Finland etc.
—Rosterminalugol has won the National Tax Award this year. How difficult is it to keep a high level of tax discipline? Do your clients and suppliers help you?
— Yes, Rosterminalugol OJSC has won the National Tax Award 2015. This award is given for a considerable contribution into successful implementation of the most significant national programmes, facilitating of the country’s economic development, improvement of financial planning and budgeting. The awarding ceremony was held on July 2, 2015 in Moscow. Rosterminalugol OJSC has been given a diploma acknowledging it as a “Company with a high level of tax culture”.
The Award criteria are transparency, reliability and efficiency of raising money for the state budget. Expert analyses of all business levels in Russia’s different regions is based on official data provided by the Federal Service for National Statistics, Economic Development Ministry and other sources.
This award is a recognition of the Company’s tax culture and its compliance with the goals of the state policy.
It is quite difficult to keep a high level of tax discipline and maintain a good reputation amid current situation. Yet, it is possible with methods improving the efficiency of tax administration. Among those methods is tax planning, tax audit, development of company’s information systems. Clients and suppliers play an important role, of course. As a company with a good business reputation and acknowledged as a respected business partner both in its region and outside it we have a right to chose suppliers and customers with similar level of responsibility and reliability.
Actually, this high recognition on the national level does not let us decrease the level achieved. We will not only maintain it but also raise this level applying all the technologies mastered by today.
- Next year will see Rosterminalugol to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. What targets are set by the terminal authorities and the managing company for the future?
- We have a reputation of a stable company, reliable partner and socially-focused employer. There is definitely a room for improvement and growth.
To maintain our leading positions the Company should feature persistency, financial boldness, capacity for continuous innovations and the ability to properly utilize its resources, the main of which is the personnel, of course. It is a very significant aspect of the Company activities as in pursuit of figures, implementation of programmes and plans we can sometimes forget who drives this process, who deserves the credit for reliable operation of the Company. It is very important to have people appreciating their positions, having an opportunity to be satisfied with execution of their duties, be proud of their profession, striving to generate a respect in the team and get an adequate remuneration for their efforts. We will focus on this in 2016 and further. Of course, we will try to build up the production rates, introduce new equipment and improve the existing one.
Special attention will be paid to environmental aspects. We will also continue our charity and sponsorship activities.
In short, being a successful company with a high efficiency and profitability we feel confident about the future, we develop investment projects and long-term growth plans, both technological and social ones.
Interviewed by Nedezhda Malysheva
