The weakness of the rouble in international markets has affected consumer spending in Russia, leading to a drastic down-turn in import and export trade. According to shipping lines, port authorities and logistics providers, volumes were heavily down even in December, when there is usually an increase in throughput. The port of St Petersburg has been especially badly affected, and some shipping lines have cut the number of vessels using the port.
St Petersburg is the gateway for imports from China such as electronics and other commercial goods, but these have almost disappeared. Import volumes were drastically affected by the devaluation of the rouble, but St Peterbsurg was not as badly affected as other ports on the Baltic.