Lead vessel of Norilsk Nickel Fleet ships first million tons

Moscow, July 28, 2010 – Today, the lead vessel of MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter: MMC or the Company) fleet – the diesel electric ship ‘’NORILSK NICKEL’’ completed unloading in Rotterdam of its first one million tons of cargo since it was put into operation in April 2006.

Also, July 31 will mark two years since diesel electric ship ‘’MONCHEGORSK’’ commenced operations. Over that period the vessel shipped 453.5 tons of cargo and scored 49 voyages. 

Overall since 2006, the Company’s own fleet transported around 2.5 million tons of different cargo  including 250 thousand tons of metal products, which were shipped for export.

Over that period the Company’s arctic container carriers made 270 voyages during four winter navigation periods without third-party ice-breaker support. 135 arrivals of the Company vessels were made to Dudinka sea port.

Last year the Company completed one of Russia’s largest ship-building investment projects – creation of a fleet of arctic container carriers. Currently MMC is the only company on the globe with its own unique fleet of five ice-class vessels for arctic transportation. The total value of the project reached 400 million euros.

According to the Director of Murmansk Transport Branch of MMC Norilsk Nickel Aleksey Tyukavin, “the successful work of new vessels has made it possible to provide for round-the-year regular transportation between Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and Dudinka ports, as well to initiate direct voyages to European ports, thus fully covering the Company demand in sea freight forwarding for these destinations”.

ABOUT MMC NORILSK NICKEL:

MMC Norilsk Nickel, a company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation, is the largest diversified mining and metals company in Russia, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the world's largest producers of platinum, rhodium, copper and cobalt. In addition to this, MMC Norilsk Nickel produces a large number of other by-products, including gold, silver, tellurium, selenium, iridium and ruthenium.

The key production units of the Company’s group in Russia are at the Polar and Kola Peninsulas. MMC Norilsk Nickel international assets include operations in Finland, USA, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.

MMC Norilsk Nickel’s shares are traded at MICEX and RTS. ADR’s on the Company’s shares are traded on the other the counter market in the US and at the London and Berlin stock exchanges.