During a meeting in Constanta, in which Ukraine, Romania, representatives of the European Union and the USA participated, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company called on the port management to grant permission for the creation of a raid transshipment for Ukrainian grain.
It was noted that this year and next, Ukraine should export more than 5 million tons of agricultural products every month, and the main load will fall on Danube logistics, since other directions are too expensive.
Approximately 1.2 million tons of grain are transported through the Sulina canal every month. 1.3 million tons goes through the Romanian port of Constanta. 60% of the grain export flow through Constanta is the river fleet. More than 700,000 tons of agricultural products are delivered to the Romanian port by barge caravans every month. If Konstanza allows the development of raid transshipment, the river carriers are ready to increase volumes by another 500,000 tons, the UDP reported.
The shipping company noted that a project for the organization of three more anchorages has already been created, one of which should be assigned to Ukraine. The project does not threaten the owners of the terminals, because it is an additional export flow from Ukraine, which today simply does not enter Constanta.
"Subject to the agreement of the Romanian side, UDP is ready to act as the initiator of the creation of a Ukrainian port operator in Constanta. The fleet of the shipping company allows for shipboard handling of up to 300,000 tons of grain per month," the shipping company added.
Currently, there are approximately 600 barges in the port. Some are waiting for unloading for weeks, so this year UDP works only through transshipment by the direct method board-to-board.
Danube ports are loaded mostly with small sea vessels, which have 10-15 thousand tons of cargo capacity. Exports in such batches are intended for Turkey, Greece, Egypt, but traditional Ukrainian markets are in Southeast Asia.
“Ukraine should form large batches and load panamax, but large vessels – this is only Constanta. Each anchorage can provide 15-20 thousand transshipments per day – this is an alternative to the ports of Odesa," the UDP concluded.
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