Ukrainian seaports handled 13.5 million tonnes of cargo in January 2020, which is 20% more than a year ago. The press service of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported on Tuesday that the growth in cargo handling is linked to warm weather, exports of grain and ores and the large increase in imported coal handling.
According to the company, the first place in terms of transshipment volumes continues to be occupied by grain cargo, which in January 2020 shipped 4.7 million tonnes (a rise of 22%). Ore transshipment increased by almost a third (a rise of 32%) compared with the beginning of 2019, to 3.1 million tonnes.
In addition, during January 2020, record changes were seen in coal transshipment: in January of this year, 4.2 times more coal were handled – almost 771,000 tonnes. Positive dynamics is also continuing in the growth of container cargo, the amount of which increased by 15.8% and totaled 89,700 TEU.
In January 2020, 10.2 million tonnes were processed in the export direction, which is 1.5 million tonnes or 17% more than in the same period of 2019. Some 2.2 million tonnes of import cargoes were handled: 595,000 tonnes or 37% more, 965,000 tonnes of transit cargo: 210,000 tonnes or 28% more. Transshipment in domestic traffic in January 2020 increased 45% or by 29,000 tonnes and amounted to more than 93,000 tonnes. Mostly, grain and other bulk cargo and oil were transported between ports as coastal transportation.
Novus Ukraine LLC (Kyiv), which manages the Novus hyper- and supermarket chain and is part of the Lithuanian investment group BT Invest, plans to open eight to ten new stores in Ukraine in 2020.
“We plan to open eight to ten stores this year,” Ihor Landa, the director general of BT Invest Ukraine, told Interfax-Ukraine.
During a speech at EBA Global Outlook: Boosting Investments, he noted that the expansion of the network is currently limited exclusively to Kyiv and Kyiv region.
“We invest only in Kyiv and Kyiv region. This is due to the fact that here purchasing power is still quite high. In addition, there is migration here from different cities,” he said.
At the same time, he added that in addition to migration to the capital and cities with the population exceeding one million people, a significant migration abroad creates problems with finding and recruiting staff. Thus, about 750 vacancies have now formed in Novus.
In addition, due to the increase in rental rates in the market, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the retailer to find suitable premises for opening a new store.
The Sikorsky Kyiv international airport serviced 178,800 passengers in January 2020, which is 20.4% less than in January 2019.
According to the airport’s website, the number of passengers serviced on international flights amounted to 176,900, on domestic – 1,900.
The number of flights (arrivals and departures) in January 2020 amounted to 1,838, which is 19.5% less than the same period in 2019, of which international flights – 1,629, and domestic – 209.
The following international destinations were most popular for the indicated period: Minsk (Belarus), Warsaw (Poland), Vienna (Austria), Berlin (Germany), Memmingen (Germany), Frankfurt am Main (Germany), and Budapest (Hungary). Zaporizhia was the most popular among destinations inside Ukraine.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksiy Honcharuk states that the idea of jointly hosting the Olympic Games with Belarus deserves in-depth study.
“In my opinion, this idea definitely deserves in-depth study. The government is now working to study this situation from different points of view and offer a concept to our partners if this initiative can be implemented in the near future,” Honcharuk said at a meeting of the organizing committee for preparation and participation of Ukrainian athletes in the Games of the ХХХII Olympic Games and the XVI Paralympic Games 2020 in Tokyo (Japan).
According to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Ukraine Volodymyr Borodiansky, traditionally preparations for such large-scale sporting events are conducted during 5-10 years.
“We propose, in order to determine the possibility of creating a joint holding of such games with the Republic of Belarus, to study in detail the resources we have, the experience of Belarus, the experience of other countries in preparation,” he added.
Borodiansky invited the national Olympic committees to create a joint working group to study such opportunities.
As reported, in September 2019, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated that the republic could hold the Olympic Games together with the Russian Federation or Ukraine. “Of course, it’s difficult for us to compete with the giants, but we can hold the Olympics, for example, with the Ukrainians or the Russians,” he said.
The introduction of duties on import of diesel fuel and liquefied gas of Russian production will cause price increases, weaken competition in the market and will not solve the problems of Ukrainian oil refineries, according to A-95 Consulting Group.
According to a press release, the group came to such conclusions following a study of complaints by Ukrainian fuel producers represented by PJSC Ukrtatnafta, PJSC Ukrnafta and JSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia to the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade, in which they asked for an anti-subsidiary investigation and introduce duties on Russian diesel fuel and liquefied natural gas in the amount of 8.46% with an increase to 25.4% over five years.
“The main argument of manufacturers is dumping by Russian exporters, which is not true. Imported petroleum products, including Russian ones, are sold to Ukraine with premiums to the world quotes. So, for 2020 Ukrainian companies signed contracts for Russian diesel fuel with a premium to European quotes of up to $35/tonne, for liquefied gas of up to $22/tonne. This is due to the fact that Ukraine remains import dependent: in 2019, imports of diesel fuel accounted for 88% in the national balance, liquefied gas for 78.5%,” A-95 said.
According to the group, the most critical consequences of duties will be felt by the diesel market, which accounts for 70% in the basket of motor fuels. If the proposed duty is introduced at 8.46%, imports from Russia may cease completely, which will increase pressure on the remaining sources of supply, primarily Belarus, whose share will grow from the current 35% to 60% of the market. At the same time, the capabilities of Ukrainian producers are limited by a twofold increase in processing, which in the best case will allow raising the market weight from 12% to 25%.
The change of head of the President’s Office of Ukraine in no way affects the political course of the state. “There are important reforms ahead, and this is precisely what the team of Volodymyr Zelensky is focusing on,” the President’s Office commented on its Facebook page. At the President’s Office, they thanked Andriy Bohdan, its previous head, for his work, who had resigned.
“From today, the Office of the President of Ukraine is headed by Andriy Yermak. The previous leader, Andriy Bohdan, has resigned. The President’s Office is grateful for his work during these months. The President’s Office is confident that Andriy Yermak will cope with the responsibility entrusted to him,” a statement says.
