The NLE timber terminal at the Port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea needed to be expanded to accommodate sustained export of sawn timber, combined with an increased demand for container handling. Since it had been privatised, the terminal was being run on Western principles and had been attracting new customers.

Beckett Rankine undertook a detailed study of the port and prepared a masterplan for its phased development. The masterplan study addressed a combination of operational, economic and engineering issues and prepared a framework for the expansion of the terminal.

The port had previously suffered from a lack of investment. The aim of the project was to plan for the efficient use of new investment to increase business, with a focus on the berth structures and cargo handling equipment and the development of the hinterland.