$15 million was invested in Danube ports in 2022 – USPA

In 2022, $15 million was invested in the Danube ports, and this has already produced certain results. This was reported by Yuriy Lytvyn, the head of the «Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration» (USPA), during his visit to the ports of Izmail and Reni, it is stated in the state enterprise’s message.

«The primary task facing USPA is to continue increasing the volume of cargo processing by putting new berths into operation, developing additional cargo flows, and optimizing work. This is impossible without close and effective cooperation through the public-private partnership,» Lytvyn noted.

The head of the USPA reminded that as of May 9, 2023, the Izmail seaport fulfilled the annual plan for cargo handling and achieved a record for the entire history implementation of annual indicators, having handled 6.2 million tons of cargo.

The representatives of port operator’s enterprises raised a number of problematic issues, in particular, the increase in the number of anchorages on the Danube and the need to improve the road infrastructure at the entrance to the ports.

As GMK Center reported earlier, by the end of 2023, the volume of cargo transshipment through Ukrainian ports on the Danube may increase to at least 20 million tons compared to 16 million tons in the previous year. This is 25% more than in 2022 and three times more than the pre-war level. Such expectations were made public by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of community development, territories and infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov. Modernization and renewal of port infrastructure, attraction of investments for the construction of new terminals and dredging are necessary for further development.

Also, Ukraine and the EBRD are discussing joint development projects of Danube ports. The international engineering consulting company Royal HaskoningDHV has developed a list of measures to increase their throughput as part of a joint pilot project.