Public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia has announced that China Eximbank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China are ready to invest in the development of Ukrainian railway infrastructure, increase of its quality and the speed, according to a posting on the website of Ukrzaliznytsia after the discussion of issues of developing high-speed railway traffic and the upgrade of Ukrzaliznytsia’s rolling stock jointly with representatives of Chinese banks and railway companies in Kyiv. Ukrzaliznytsia reported that representatives of Chinese railway companies expressed their desire to find a successful economic model for promoting high-speed traffic in Ukraine.
“China’s Eximbank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China will be willing to invest in the development of Ukraine’s railway infrastructure, improving the quality of its use and speed,” Ukrzaliznytsia said. Welcoming colleagues from China, acting Board Chairman Yevhen Kravtsov said that their readiness for dialogue testifies to the seriousness of their intentions.
“The construction of a high-speed railway line was discussed at the level of the ministry, and today we see the construction of this line as a national project. I see a great potential in it, but Ukrzaliznytsia’s own funds are not sufficient for its implementation,” Kravtsov said.
He said that Kovel, Lviv and Mukachevo are promising points for connecting them with European narrow gauge track, and this is a realistic project for Ukrzaliznytsia in the coming years. Kravtsov also invited Chinese companies to participate in the tender for the electrification of the Dolynska-Mykolaiv-Kolosivka line.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Chinese companies: China Road And Bridge Corporation, China Railway Construction Corporation International Limited, China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group, China Railway Engineering Co., Ltd., China Railway International Group and China Railway Limited Group.
Tetra Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEK), a large global supplier of consulting and engineering services, has announced that that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the company an $85 million contract to support enhanced energy security in Ukraine. “Tetra Tech will provide technical services to support private sector-led energy investments, increased renewable energy generation, and reliable and affordable energy for all Ukrainians,” the U.S. company said.
The company said that specific tasks include developing energy market models to create competitive energy market reforms, completing renewable energy pre-feasibility assessments, and developing creative financial incentive mechanisms to facilitate private sector investment in renewable energy.
Tetra Tech also will collaborate with local organizations in implementing the program to develop Ukraine’s institutional capacity, encourage ownership of results, and ensure sustainability of reforms. The company reminded that the five-year USAID/Ukraine Energy Security through Competitive Energy Markets Program aims to improve the legal and regulatory environment in the energy sector and increase the resilience of energy supplies in Ukraine.
CONTRACT, ENERGY SECURITY, ENGINEERING SERVICES, TETRA TECH, USAID
Hutchison Ports (the parent holding is CK Hutchison Holdings) has registered subsidiary Hutchison Ports Ukraine (Odesa) for work in Ukraine. According to the single state register of legal entities, individual entrepreneurs and public associations, the charter capital of Hutchison Ports Ukraine is UAH 700,000, of which UAH 7,000 were contributed by Hutchison Ports Netherlander, UAH 693,000 by Hutchison Ports Turkey.
The company will deal with the transport processing of goods (the core business), as well as provide auxiliary services for water transport and carry out other supporting activities in the field of transport. Yevhenia Chirikova has been appointed head of the company since July 18, 2018. The company was registered on July 18 of this year.
As reported, in December 2017 the Infrastructure Ministry commission approved the application of Hutchison Ports to rent the territory of Chornomorsk port (Odesa region) in the area of berths Nos. 1-6.
Ukraine in January-June 2018 increased production of pipes from ferrous metals by 8.6% compared to the same period in 2017, to 544,000 tonnes, including 96,000 tonnes in June. The Ukrtruboprom association told Interfax-Ukraine, the enterprises of the association for the first six months of the year raised pipe production by 20.8%, to 406,000 tonnes, in June by 71,000 tonnes.
Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant (Donetsk region), located in the temporarily uncontrolled areas, was idle in January-June 2018, while in January-June 2017 it produced 3,400 tonnes of goods. The output of pipes at Interpipe Nyzhniodniprovsky Pipe Rolling Plant increased by 22%, to 149,200 tonnes, Interpipe Novomoskovsk Pipe Plant by 8.5%, to 51,000 tonnes, Interpipe Niko Tube by 31.2%, to 182,600 tonnes. Dnipropetrovsk Pipe Plant reduced output of pipes by 14.9%, to 9,700 tonnes, Centravis rose the figure by 14.8%, to 10,100 tonnes of stainless pipes. Trubostal plant kept the output of pipes at the level of the previous year, at 1,500 tonnes of pipes.
Ukraine in the first half of 2018 exported fruit and berries worth $100 million, which is 59% more than in the same period of 2017. According to the Ukrsadprom association, the main products in the structure of exports remain walnuts worth $64 million, frozen berries for $23 million, apples and pears for $8 million. “Compared with last year, the volume of walnut exports increased from 12,000 to 19,000 tonnes, apples and pears from 6,000 to 24,000 tonnes, while the deliveries of frozen berries decreased slightly from 17,000 to 14,000 tonnes,” the report says.
The main buyers of Ukrainian gardening products, according to the association, are the countries of the European Union, which account for more than 60% of the value of exports.
“In the six months, the largest fruit supplies in monetary terms from Ukraine were made to Poland for $11.2 million, France for $9.9 million, Turkey for $9.3 million, Belarus for $8 million, Germany for $5.1 million, Greece for $5 million and the Netherlands for $4.7 million,” the report says.
As noted, Ukrainian apples are mostly delivered to Belarus (46% of the value of supplies), Moldova (21%), and Sweden (10%).
BELARUS, BERRY, EXPORT, FRANCE, FRUIT, GERMANY, POLAND, TURKEY
On June 14, 2018, the administrative buildings and terminals of Kyiv International Airport named after Igor Sikorsky was blocked by National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) personnel equipped with automatic weapons. From 10:00 a.m. on June 14 to 05:00 a.m. on June 15, during the 19 hours, the management of municipally owned Kyiv International Airport and the Master-Avia company, including the heads of departments, and senior employees, were kept in their own offices without any means of communication and the possibility of coordinating the work of the airport. As a result, the work of both the municipal company and the Master-Avia private company, which is engaged in the development and maintenance of the airport, was blocked.
NABU’s operation resulted in the inability to prevent an accident that occurred with a plane operated by the BRAVO airlines, which performed the Antalya-Kyiv flight. During landing amid a violent storm, the airplane carrying 169 passengers aboard overshot runway and landed on its belly. The situation was complicated by the increased threat of an explosion: there were four tonnes of aviation fuel on board, there was a threat to the lives and health of the passengers. At that time, the airport’s management, which was, in fact, hostage to the security forces, was not able to take measures that are appropriate to that weather condition. Only thanks to the coordinated work of the airport’s rescue services, the situation was under control and nobody was injured as a result of the incident. This was the first case registered within 94 years of the airport’s work.
The airport’s management did not publish the details of the incident before because of the investigation of the aviation event by a special commission. However, as there is a probability that raids and other investigative measures may continue, the team of Kyiv International Airport considers it is their duty to warn that in case of new attempts to block the airport’s work by the security forces, it will suspend handling flights for the sake of the safety of passengers and crews. The safety of passengers remains a priority for the company.
Currently, the airfield and runway are on the balance sheets of municipally owned International Airport Kyiv. Master-Avia owns terminals and an apron. There was no reason for the use of force: the company’s activities are open and transparent, the management is always ready for constructive interaction with the control authorities and for required procedures. However, instead of asking for the necessary documentation, the Bureau’s agents chose a different path – the seizure of buildings, keeping the management and personnel without means of communication, searches both at the airport and in apartments in the top managers, seizure of documents and things, including personal ones, the blocking of activity and communications in the strictly policed security facility. Such actions by state authorities negatively affect the airport’s safety and the investment attractiveness of Ukraine.
Kyiv International Airport operates strictly in accordance with international and Ukrainian legislation and today it is one of the largest taxpayers in the capital among municipally owned enterprises. Master-Avia has invested more than $50 million in the creation of new airport infrastructure, and still spends all available resources on the repayment of a loan and the development of the only international airport located directly in Kyiv.
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In 2010, an investment tender was held under the government program for the development of Ukrainian aviation infrastructure Master-Avia LLC won the tender. The company has concluded an agreement for the lease of the airport’s property for 49 years. The second bidder, a company with Russian roots, unsuccessfully challenged the results of the tender in courts of all instances.
Today, Kyiv International Airport, being operated by Master-Avia, cooperates with more than 40 airlines, performing flights to 140 cities in 48 countries. Every month, about 2,500 flights are operated, and almost two million passengers are served annually. Investment in the airport exceeds $50 million. More than 10,000 jobs have been created. Kyiv International Airport is the second largest taxpayer among municipally owned companies.
AIRPORT, COMPANY, INVESTIGATION, MASTER-AVIA, NABU, RELATION, SIKORSKY
