In Russia, lignin pellet producer OJSC Bionet, part of the Gazprombank Group, has announced that it has shipped the first batch of its Onega industrial black pellets as part of a contract signed with energy commodities trader Belgium-based Transcor Oil Services S.A. part of Switzerland-headed AOT Energy Group.

On March 12, 2017, the MV Krislin, a 4815 DWT general cargo vessel arrived in the Port of Rouen, northern France with the first batch of Onega black pellets having departed from OJSC FACTOR Forest Terminal in the Port of Ust-Luga, near St Petersburg in Russia.
According to Bionet, negotiations are underway Bionet and Transcor Oil Services to conclude a long-term contract for the supply of fuel pellets. Bionet operates a 100 000 tonne-per-annum pellet facility in Onega, Leningrad region. The plant uses residual lignin as feedstock and the pellets are railed from the plant to the discharging port.