The new additional route aims to increase Ukrainian exports to the level that existed at the beginning of the war
Ukraine plans to create an additional export route along the Danube to avoid transport through Poland. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to Deputy Prime Minister of Reconstruction and Minister of Community, Territorial and Infrastructure Development Oleksandr Kubrakov, the relevant agency said .
Kubrakov told agency representatives during the Munich Security Conference that plans for the current year are to remove all artificial obstacles for exporters. Additionally, the agency works to improve domestic logistics.
“We are planning to transport containers across the lower Danube, as Romania is 'more predictable' than the Polish border,” Bloomberg quoted the minister as saying.
According to the agency, the route will go from one of the Ukrainian ports to Constanta, in Romania, and to the ports on the Danube, in Germany. Previously, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company and the relevant ministry announced the construction of a second SLG barge and preparations to launch container barge caravans to the Middle and Lower Danube.
The new additional route across the Danube is intended to increase Ukraine's exports to the level they were at at the start of the war. According to Kubrakov, although many exporters prefer the Black Sea due to the cost, the country's transshipment volumes through the Danube still amount to 1.2-1.8 million tons per month.
Last year, after the Russian Federation withdrew from the Black Sea grain corridor, the Danube became a priority route for supplies to Ukraine. At the same time, the country uses roads and railways, but exports through Poland have now fallen to 300 thousand tonnes per month, compared to around 1 million tonnes in 2022 due to the blockage of road crossings. The Ministry of Infrastructure team is making efforts at all levels to resolve the situation.
As Compraço previously reported, last December, Ukraine exported 7.34 million tons of cargo by sea. This value increased 30.7% compared to November. Maritime exports are growing thanks to the joint efforts of the Ukrainian government and international partners. In total, in 2023, the country increased exports by sea by almost 1 million tons compared to 2022. In addition to grains, other products, including metals, are exported via this route.
