KYIV. June 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s state-owned Production Association Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant named after A.M. Makarov (Yuzhmash, or Pivdenmash from Ukrainian) has announced it is about to resume the manufacture of the Zenit carrier rockets under such international projects as the Sea Launch and the Land Launch, the plant’s press service said on Friday, June 2.
On April 28, Pivdenmash and S7 Sea Launch Limited signed a contract for manufacturing and supplies of 12 carrier rockets of the Zenit family for space exploration and use for peaceful purposes as part of the Sea Launch and the Land Launch international programs, the press service said.
“A great step in overcoming the deep crisis, in which Pivdenmash has been since 2013 and which was caused by a dramatic drop in output, was made by signing of this contract,” the press service said.
The manufacture of Zenit carrier rockets at Pivdenmash was suspended due to financial difficulties, which the project operators of the Sea Launch and the Land Launch had faced, in 2014.
Pivdenmash’s portfolio for the coming years exceeds $350 million, its major customers are companies from the United States, Italy, India, and Korea.
The Zenit-3SL launch vehicle consists of the Zenit-2S two-stage rocket (created by Yuzhnoye (Pivdenne) Design Bureau and built by Pivdenmash in Ukraine mostly using Russian-made component parts) and the DM-SL booster unit designed and manufactured by Energia Corporation in Korolyov, Moscow region.
KYIV. June 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will begin cooperation in the field of scientific research in the Antarctic region with China and Malaysia, and will expand cooperation with Turkey.
Such an agreement was reached during the 40th consultative meeting on the Antarctic Treaty, which ended in Beijing, China, on June 1, the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine reported.
“During bilateral meetings with the delegations of China and Malaysia, we agreed to hold talks on cooperation and, based on their results, to sign memorandums on scientific and technical cooperation in the field of Antarctic research. With Turkey, however, such a memorandum has already been signed, therefore we discussed with its representatives the areas for further cooperation,” the head of the Ukrainian delegation, the director of the scientific and technical development department of the Education Ministry, Dmytro Cheberkus, said.
In his words, it is important for Ukraine to carry out joint research with China, exchange scientists at stations and cooperate in the field of logistics. “With regard to Malaysia and Turkey, which do not have their own stations in Antarctica, they want to participate in research at the Ukrainian station ‘Academician Vernadsky’. Our task is to create proper conditions for this,” Cheberkus said.
According to him, last year Turkish scientists already participated in short-term research projects using the Ukrainian infrastructure – they studied the marine biology and the process of glaciers melting.
The Ukrainian delegation also agreed to hold joint events with their counterparts from France, in particular, cultural ones, on the basis of the French Institute.
In addition, Ukraine intends to participate in an inter-session contact group to discuss future challenges of the Antarctic research. The relevant agency was proposed by Australia, which will lead the group.
“The location of the Ukrainian station ‘Academician Vernadsky’ makes it possible to conduct unique observations, since there is a rapid melting of the ice cover in this region of Antarctica. We have excellent prospects for expanding international scientific cooperation in at least two areas: marine biology and monitoring of melting of the continental ice,” Cheberkus said.
KYIV. June 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – During Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin’s visit to Thailand he met with his counterpart Don Pramudwinai, the two officials signed a trade pact and a legal assistance agreement, Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has reported.
During the meeting, the sides expressed interest in activating bilateral ties and exchanged views on a wide variety of international and regional issues.
“The sides agreed upon a schedule for political contacts in the near turn and agreed to conduct a second round of political consultations on the level of deputy foreign ministers, as well as to hold a meeting of an intergovernmental joint commission for bilateral cooperation,” the FM’s press release said.
During the talks the sides agreed to deepen cooperation within the framework of international organizations as well as long-term cooperation, first and foremost, in trade and economic bilateral relations.
Following the talks the sides signed an agreement between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Thailand on mutual legal assistance in criminal cases and a trade agreement. The agreements will significantly facilitate bilateral contacts between law-enforcement agencies and business between the countries.
“Implementation of corresponding measures of intergovernmental agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal cases will significantly improve the level of coordination between law-enforcement agencies in the investigation of criminal offenses committed in Thailand and Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said.
The trade agreement with Thailand, which is Ukraine’s main trading partner in southeastern Asia, opens additional possibilities for mutually beneficial, pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the economic and investment sectors of both countries. Trade turnover between Ukraine and Thailand in 2016 totaled $600 million, with a positive balance of $255 million in Ukraine’s favor.
Aimed at developing contacts between businessmen, the creation of joint enterprises and representative commercial offices in both countries, the intergovernmental trade agreement provides for the launch of a joint commission on trade issues chaired by Ukraine’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Thailand’s Commerce Minister. The commission will study opportunities for broadening and diversifying bilateral trade and economic relations.
U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine on its 25th Anniversary.
In the letter sent to the Chamber, President Trump stressed the importance of relationship between the United States and Ukraine and pointed out that the two countries stand together as partners in Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen democratic governance, root out corruption, and attract foreign investment.
“I recognize the dedication of all who have made the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine such a success. Thank you for your role in promoting our shared vision of a free, peaceful, and prosperous Ukraine,” Donald J. Trump wrote.
For a quarter of a century, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine drives actionable dialogue between business and Government, creates opportunities for business to business partnerships and promotes Ukraine internationally as an attractive investment destination.
“Your hard work strengthens our countries’ economic partnership and directly contributes to the prosperity of both the United States and Ukraine,” President Trump highlighted.
“The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine for 25 years has been the voice of business represents the leading investors in Ukraine. We are very grateful to the President Trump for his appreciation of our activities. We will continue working to improve the business climate and attract foreign investment,” commented Andy Hunder, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
The full text of congratulations is available here: http://www.chamber.ua/Media/News/7367
The Interfax-Ukraine News Agency is a long-term partner of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
KYIV. June 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – DTEK energy holding intends to build the first solar power plant with a capacity of 10 MW in Kherson this year, DTEK’s press service has reported.
“Due to the long duration of land acquisition for building energy facilities, the company decided to purchase a ready-made solar power plant project. The partner is the French engineering company Beten Ingenierie SAS … A suitable project for building a solar power plant in the village of Tryfonivka in Kherson region was selected in Beten’s portfolio,” the press service said.
The plant will have solar modules produced by the Chinese company JA Solar and inverters made by ABB in Italy. The forecasted electricity supply will amount to 11-12 million kWh annually.
As reported, DTEK previously bought Tryfonivka Energy LLC (Kherson region).
DTEK is considering the possibility of building up to 1 GW of “green” generation capacity in the next five years.
DUSSELDORF. June 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Metinvest, the largest Ukrainian mining and metallurgical holding, in 2016 ranked 37th in the list of the world’s largest steel producers with a volume of 10.34 million tonnes compared to the 40th place in 2015 with a volume of 9.65 million tonnes of steel and the 33rd place in 2014 with a volume of production of 11.18 million tonnes of steel.
According to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), the largest steel company last year was ArcelorMittal with a production volume of 95.45 million tonnes. It is followed by China Baowu Group, a new company that appeared in December 2016 as a result of the merger of Baosteel Group and Wuhan Group, with 63.81 million tonnes, HBIS Group (formerly Hesteel Group) with 46.18 million tonnes (it includes a steel mill in Serbia acquired in June 2016), NSSMC with 46.16 million tonnes (the figure does not include production at Nisshin Steel, which became part of the group in March 2017), and POSCO with 41.56 million tonnes.
The list of the 50 largest world steel producers for 2016, as well as for 2015 and 2014, does not include Ukrainian companies except for Metinvest. The Industrial Union of Donbas (ISD), which ranked 44th in 2013 with 7.9 million tonnes, fell out of the list of leaders in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
