Ukraine says it has no alternative to Odesa ports

• Taras Vysotskyi said that Velikoï Odesa cannot be without port infrastructure, and that without it ships cannot operate properly.
• According to the figures, with the port of Dunai being fully operational, it could handle up to 30% of the cargo turnover against Velikoï Odesa; otherwise, the share of maritime cargoes would be limited by the capacity of the port’s existing infrastructure.
• The material also provides a breakdown of the expected throughput capacity of the infrastructure, depending on the 5-7-9 programme, with the projected figures for the port’s throughput capacity.

For more details, see RBC Ukraine and Asharq Al-Awsat.

Ukraine has said that alternative ports in the Odesa region are not available, and therefore the lack of port infrastructure could have a global impact on the supply of goods. As Taras Vysotskyi said, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food is concerned about the situation in Ukraine’s grain supply.

Based on Taras Vysotskyi’s words, Velikoï Odesa cannot be without port infrastructure. Otherwise, the throughput of ships would be reduced, which would directly affect the export of global grain. In particular, he noted that the share of grain exports could fall by 25%, as was the case in 2022.

The ministry added that another port cannot be built in a short time, and that the material also describes the expected impact of port infrastructure on Ukraine’s exports. It also said that the share of all grain exports shipped through the region could increase by nearly 30% if the port infrastructure in the Black Sea region were expanded.

Taras Vysotskyi also said that the port of Dunai could handle up to 30% of the cargo turnover of Velikoï Odesa. He noted that it is impossible to build alternative infrastructure quickly, and that the lack of port capacity could lead to a reduction in global grain exports without exception.

The material also provides a breakdown of expected throughput capacity: through the port of Velikoï Odesa — up to 5.5 million tonnes per year; by the port’s capacity — up to 1 million tonnes; by automotive transport — up to 500 thousand tonnes. The material also mentions that the alternative throughput capacity of the port could be up to 1.5 million tonnes.

According to the material, the ministry has already warned that the lack of port infrastructure would undermine the country’s ability to export goods. It also said that the closure of ports would have a direct impact on the supply of goods to international markets. In particular, it noted that the share of grain exports could fall by 25%.

The ministry said that the alternative route via the port of Dunai may not be enough. It added that the National Bank of Ukraine is working on new currency settlement rules for payments for cargo deliveries.

The material from RBC-Ukraine also states that Russian officials have said that the country’s grain exports through the ports of Velikoï Odesa would not be possible. It notes that more than 60% of Ukraine’s grain exports are shipped through the Black Sea ports. As an example, it cites that 19 containers of Golden Leo were shipped from the port of Chornomorsk at the time when the invasion began, with the cargo being transported under a new route and with a ban on the use of Ukrainian ports.

It also says that 22 ships of the company Maersk have been redirected via Chornomorsk Fishing Port, without stopping at the port of Chornomorsk. It also notes that 25 ships of Russia were redirected to ports in Ukraine, with the total number of ships increasing by two.

In addition, it is noted that Russia has declared that it is carrying out protection of civilian ships in the Azov-Black Sea basin. It also says that the Russian Ministry of Transport has instructed that ships can use alternative routes in the Black Sea for the delivery of goods.

Tags: Ukraine/Economy/Aviation