Cargo transportation along the Dnipro River in January-June 2021 increased by 63.9% (1.9 million tonnes) compared to the same period in 2020, to 5.46 million tonnes.
According to the report of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA), with reference to the data of the River Information Service of Ukraine, 6,433 trips were carried out during January-June against 3,299 in 2020.
“The main share of cargo is construction materials, the volume of transportation of which increased by 133.5% and reached 3.71 million tonnes. Grain cargo is in the second place, its volume of transportation decreased by 5.4% compared to last year and amounted to 1.13 million tonnes,” the report says.
In addition, metal products are actively transported along the river. At the same time, over the six months of this year, the volume of metal transportation by river decreased by 9.6% and reached 603,900 tonnes.
PrJSC Azot (Cherkasy), part of Group DF of businessman Dmytro Firtash, has launched a 45-day project to modernize the M-6 urea plant, capital investments in which will exceed UAH 165 million, Group DF said.
“The modernization of the M-6 urea production plant will be the largest project for the plant in the last 10 years. The enterprise makes money, the shareholder continues to make capital investments and modernize key industrial sites,” head of the board Vitaliy Skliarov is quoted as saying in a press release.
According to him, the work is aimed at increasing the capacity of the workshop and achieving energy savings.
According to the release, the exact figures for the new capacity of the workshop, which is now 1,000 tonnes per day, will be made public after the implementation of the project and the restoration of the workshop. Group DF Director for Communications Oleh Arestarkhov told Interfax-Ukraine that it is about increasing capacity by about 10%.
It is also assumed that the modernization will improve the efficiency of chemical processes in the shop, improve the reliability and stability of most production processes and have a positive effect on the technical and economic indicators of the shop as a whole.
In particular, it is planned to replace the high-pressure condenser and install a new low-pressure condenser, which has almost twice the working surface, as well as replace the old mass transfer plates in the synthesis reactor with new ones, made by the Swiss Urea Casale, with an increase in their number from 10 to 11.
The profile ministries of Ukraine and Lithuania have agreed to launch a pilot project to develop multimodal transportation between the countries, according to the website of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine on Thursday.
In Klaipeda, Lithuania, a meeting was held between Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov and Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania Marius Skuodis, during which the parties discussed issues of strengthening cooperation and prospects for new projects.
“Partnership in the field of transport is one of the priorities. We are restoring a dialogue on the implementation of an old idea – connecting the Baltic and Black Sea regions by rail. For both countries this is a chance to optimize logistics, increase the load on seaports and enter new world markets. We have already agreed to launch a pilot project, within the framework of which we will develop multimodal traffic between countries, including by increasing the flow of semi-trailers,” Kubrakov is quoted as saying.
He also noted the relevance of the resumption of the passenger railway route “four capitals” from Kyiv to Riga.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure, there are currently large cargo flows between the Baltic and Black Sea regions, but the share of cargo moving from Ukraine is very low. At Klaipeda seaport, Ukrainian cargo accounts for only about 1-2% of all cargo. At the same time, according to the estimates of the Lithuanian side, the flow of goods from Ukraine could potentially be 10 times higher.
“For the implementation of multimodal cargo transportation by sea and rail, road semi-trailers will also be used as intermodal transport units. To make this possible, the ministry will initiate amendments to Ukrainian legislation, which will allow semi-trailers to be classified as cargo, and not as a vehicle,” the report said.
The launch of the pilot project is planned for September this year.
The successful implementation of the agreement, as noted in the Ministry of Infrastructure, has the potential to make Klaipeda seaport in Lithuania the northern gateway of Ukraine to Scandinavia and at the same time Odesa – the southern sea gate of Lithuania to the Black Sea region.
BALTIC STATES, BLACK SEA, DEVELOPMENT, LITHUANIA, TRANSPORTATION
The Stellantis group in Ukraine (Peugeot, Citroёn, Opel, DS Automobiles) sold 4,689 cars in January-June of this year, which is 35.17% more than in the same period of 2020, increasing its share in the Ukrainian market of new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to 8.35% from 8.29% a year earlier, the press service of the group told Interfax-Ukraine.
At the same time, the press service of the company states that in general, sales in the car market during this period also increased by more than a third – by 34.2%, to 53,800 units.
“The automobile market of Ukraine in 2021 shows a constant growth in sales. The deferred demand from 2020, the opening of car dealerships after the lockdowns, the debut of numerous new products, and the development of corporate sales had a positive effect,” the group said in a press release.
At the same time, passenger cars accounted for about 90% of sales on the market (or 48,600 units), commercial – almost 10% (or 5,200 vehicles). Private buyers bought 64% of cars, corporate clients – almost 36% of total sales.
According to Stellantis in Ukraine, while maintaining the current dynamics of market growth, 2021 may end at a milestone: more than 100,000 cars. The company’s success in selling its brands is associated with an active marketing and advertising policy, participation in exhibitions, the constant introduction of new models, the development of corporate sales and related services.
SkyUp Airlines is canceling Odesa-Thessaloniki-Odesa flight, which was opened on July 6.
The indicated direction was removed from the schedule due to insufficient number of people. At the same time, the first flights (to Thessaloniki on July 6 and back to Odesa on July 13) are being operated according to the schedule, the press service of the company informed the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
Passengers of subsequent flights that will not be operated (starting from July 13 to Thessaloniki and back from July 20 to Odesa) were offered two options at SkyUp: change the plane to Kyiv – Thessaloniki – Kyiv flight with the same departure dates; request a refund, including through the passenger’s balance in the personal account on the airline’s website. Previously, the airline company planned to operate this route once a week – on Tuesdays.
Egypt will launch a mobile application for tourists that will help them plan their holidays more efficiently, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt Khaled El-Anany told Interfax-Ukraine.
“Accommodation, transport services, and offers for a wide variety of recreation: museums, activities will be combined on one platform,” the minister said.
According to him, the mobile application meets the trends of post-visual reality, when people prefer to relax in a more secluded way and independently plan their pastime, choosing and paying for services using the platform.
The minister said the mobile application will be launched within three months.
