British purchasing agency Crown Agents will purchase COVID-19 vaccines for Ukraine, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.
“At an extraordinary meeting of the government, it was decided that the procurement of vaccines against COVID-19 will be carried out by the international organization Crown Agents. It will have the authority to conclude contracts in accordance with the preliminary negotiations held by the Ministry of Health, the leadership of the state, as well as logistics support of goods,” he said.
Stepanov noted that the company is purchasing vaccines against COVID-19 for different countries, in particular for the UK.
“We have changed the purchasing organization, because at the end of 2020, the work of the State Enterprise Medical Procurement of Ukraine was extremely ineffective. I consider the organization of the process by the leadership of this company ineffective,” the minister added.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia in 2020 transported more than 40 million tonnes of cargo to the countries of the European Union, 10 million tonnes of which were transportation to Poland and back.
As the Ukrzaliznytsia’s press service of said on Friday, exports to the EU countries, in particular, amounted to almost 29 million tonnes, imports almost 4 million tonnes, and transit about 7.5 million tonnes.
Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Italy and Romania are included in the top 5 EU countries in terms of cargo transportation by Ukrzaliznytsia.
Ukrzaliznytsia also noted an increase in transportations to and from Romania by 21.2%, to almost 4 million tonnes in 2020.
As reported, Ukrzaliznytsia transported in December 2020, according to recent data, 26.65 million tonnes of cargo in all routes, which is 7.4% more than the same period in 2019.
Inhulets mining and processing plant (InGOK, Kryvy Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region), part of Metinvest Group, in 2020 increased production of iron ore concentrate, according to recent data, by 7.7% compared to the previous year, to 11.9 million tonnes.
The enterprise told Interfax-Ukraine that in December it produced 1.019 million tonnes of concentrate with a 66.13% iron content, while extracted 2.608 million tonnes of crude ore.
As reported, InGOK in 2019 increased production of iron ore concentrate by 1.2% compared to the previous year, to 11.052 million tonnes.
The enterprise specializes in extraction and processing of ferruginous quartzites of Inhulets deposit, located in the southern part of the Kryvy Rih iron ore basin. It produces two types of iron ore concentrate with an iron content of 64.8% and 67%.
The production capacity is 14 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate per year.
InGOK is part of Metinvest Group, the main shareholders of which are PrJSC System Capital Management (SCM, Donetsk, 71.24%) and the Smart-Holding (23.76%).
Metinvest Group’s management company is Metinvest Holding LLC.
Mariupol Illich Iron and Steel Works (Donetsk region), a member of the Metinvest Group, in 2020 increased the production of general rolled products, according to recent data, by 12.4% compared to the previous year, to 3.67 million tonnes.
As the enterprise told the Interfax-Ukraine, steel production during this period increased by 13.7%, to 4.05 million tonnes, cast iron by 4.4%, to 4.65 million tonnes, and sinter by 12.8%, to 12.34 million tonnes.
In December, Mariupol Illich Iron and Steel Works produced about 320,000 tonnes of general rolled products, 345,000 tonnes of steel, 330,000 tonnes of cast iron, and 1.06 million tonnes of sinter.
Illich Iron and Steel Works is part of Metinvest Group, the main shareholders of which are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart-Holding (23.76%), jointly managing the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the managing company of Metinvest Group.
ILLICH IRON AND STEEL, MARIUPOL, METINVEST, METINVEST’S COMPANIES, STEEL
PrJSC Zaporizhkoks, one of the largest producers of coke and chemical products in Ukraine, part of the Metinvest Group, has completed the next stage of modernization of coke oven batteries No. 5 and 6 within the framework of the program for upgrading production capacities.
According to the company’s press release on Friday, investments amounted to about UAH 139 million.
At the same time, it is specified that according to the program of modernization and reconstruction of coke production, in 2020 at coke oven batteries No. 5 and 6, some 26 walls of coking chambers were repaired, reinforcement elements, armor and anchor columns on the furnaces were replaced. On the machine and coke side of the oven batteries, the vertical channels and new doors were installed on the coking chambers. The gas inlet and outlet fittings were repaired.
In order to ensure the safety of the work at coke oven battery No. 5, the end platform was overhauled, metal structures, concrete floors were replaced, new stairways and fences were installed.
“Despite the coronavirus [COVID-19] crisis, Zaporizhkoks continues to systematically fulfill its obligations to modernize production facilities and systematically reduce the burden on the environment. The overhaul of coke oven batteries allowed us not only to maintain, but also to increase coke production in 2020, without exceeding environmental standards,” Director General of Zaporizhkoks Oleksandr Tretiakov said.
During the overhaul, production was not stopped, which made it possible to maintain a stable output of coke, in 2020 the enterprise produced 853,120 tonnes of blast furnace coke, which is 3% higher than in 2019.
The press service said that the program for the reconstruction of coke oven batteries No. 5 and 6 is one of the main strategic projects of the investment program of Zaporizhkoks. The overhaul with a total budget of UAH 250 million started in 2016. It is planned to complete it in stages, without suspending the production, until 2022.
As reported, Zaporizhkoks in 2019 increased its production by 0.3% compared to the previous year, to 827,500 tonnes.
Zaporizhkoks produces about 10% of coke produced in Ukraine, owns a full technological cycle of processing coke chemical products. In addition, it produces coke oven gas and pitch coke.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of mining companies. Its main shareholders are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart-Holding (23.76%), jointly managing the company.
Metinvest Holding LLC is the managing company of Metinvest Group.
An information and analytical center of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) has opened in Zagreb (Croatia), Ukrainian Ambassador to Croatia Vasyl Kyrylych has said.
“Together with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, we have opened an information-analytical center of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb,” he said on Twitter.
According to him, the task of such a center is simple, but important and consists in quick response to the requests of Ukrainian business and assistance in contacts with Croatian partners.
