The Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation Limited intends to file a claim in international arbitration for the termination of the contract for the reconstruction of the bypass road around Zhytomyr by the State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine (Ukravtodor).
According to the company’s statement, Sinohydro considers it unfair that Ukravtodor, having failed to effectively fulfill its contractual obligations, unilaterally decided to terminate the contract, while the Dispute Settlement Council (created under the contract together with Ukravtodor in May 2020) is still considering disputes surrounding this contract and has already ruled on some of them, allowing Sinohydro to renew the contract.
Sinohydro says the untimely transfer of a land plot for public use by Ukravtodor, the introduction of a number of design changes not provided for in the contract, failure to fulfill payment obligations, as well as force majeure in the form of the COVID-19 epidemic and many other factors influenced the project schedule and led to a violation of the terms of work.
“Since June 2020, facing an unfavorable situation caused by the fact that Ukravtodor did not complete the interim payment for construction work on time, and the continuing impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, Sinohydro has advanced over EUR 5 million to meet its contractual obligations and reduce the delay,” the company said.
It is emphasized that in comparison with other sections of roads under construction in Ukraine at the same time, this project is being implemented at a rather fast pace and is already nearing completion.
“Under the circumstances, the Dispute Settlement Council decided on the first contract dispute initiated by Sinohydro in September 2020. It agreed to extend the contractor’s deadline for construction work by 87 days. However, when the Council began considering at least four disputes over damages to Sinohydro, Ukravtodor unexpectedly announced the termination of the contract,” the report says.
The board of JSC Odesa Port-Side Plant has extended a control for tolling gas processing with Agro Gas Trading LLC from September 1, 2020.
The plant said that the contract was extended until the moment when the new winner of the tender is selected, but no later than the end of 2020. As part of the prolongation of the contract, the terms of cooperation have been improved: from September 1, the price for one tonne of ammonia will be $41 and $60 per tonne for urea.
The Odesa Port-Side Plant recalled that the last announced tender was blocked in courts by one of its participants, and the procedure for selecting a supplier company approved by the supervisory board of the plant provides for a ban on out-of-tender selection.
“According to the current legal regulations, the decision to extend the contract with the current tolling supplier was the only one to which the board had the right, taking into account the existing injunction, and no alternative from the point of view of ensuring the stable operation of the plant,” the plant said.
The plant said that the continuity of the production process in terms of improving financial and social performance is a priority for the company’s management.
Kyivstar mobile operator launches the possibility to switch to the company’s contract tariff remotely, one can order free courier delivery of SIM cards and contracts throughout Ukraine.
According to the operator’s press release, both existing Kyivstar subscribers and new customers who decide to join the national telecoms operator’s network can use this service.
“For this, it’s enough to choose the best contract rate in the Kyivstar online store at shop.kyivstar.ua and place the delivery. During its confirmation, subscribers will be able to immediately enter all the necessary data to sign an agreement and receive an already completed document for signing. Delivery will be carried out at a time convenient for the subscriber by prior agreement,” Kyivstar noted.
Subscribers, in particular, can choose one of the Smart tariffs, which provide unlimited mobile Internet, unlimited times for calls in the network, from 120 to 3,000 minutes for calls to other numbers within Ukraine, as well as abroad, fixed Internet and other services at no extra charge.
The number of Green Card international insurance contracts signed by the member companies of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU) increased by 43.23% in January-November 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, to more than one million.
According to the MTIBU’s website, the amount of accrued insurance premiums for the specified period increased by 28.05% compared to the same period last year, to UAH 1.541 billion.
At the same time, the amount of compensation paid on claims rose by 30.26%, to EUR 13.664 million, while the number of claims paid grew by 14.14%, to 5,296.
The MTIBU is the only association of insurers that carry out compulsory insurance of vehicle owners’ civil liability for damage caused to third parties.
Velta industrial and commercial firm LLC with titanium ore production assets in Ukraine (Kirovohrad region) has agreed to supply $100 million of ilmenite, a titanium feedstock, under a five-year supply contract with the Traxys Group, a global commodity trading group, aimed at meeting the needs of the North American market.
Velta said in press release that it has been working in the U.S. market for seven years.
“Given that North America is one of the most stable and fast growing markets, we have decided to enter a longer-term contract, which will ensure additional stability of the company’s operations,” CEO of Velta Andriy Brodsky said.
He said that the main competitive advantage of Velta is that the company produces high-quality high-titanium feedstock, which is currently scarce in the world and in great demand in the U.S. market.
“Titanium Dioxide pigment is a core business of our group. We are pleased to partner with such a high quality and reliable miner as Velta,” Traxys Head of Industrial Minerals Eli Skornicki said.
According to the press release, the ultimate consumer under the contract is Chemours. Chemours is a new kind of chemistry company driven by their purpose to create a more colorful, capable, and cleaner world through the power of chemistry. Chemours is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The company’s Ti-Pure™ brand delivers industry-leading innovation to address the growing worldwide demand for high-quality TiO₂ by developing brighter, more efficient pigments for the coatings, plastics, and laminates markets. Its annual sales exceed $6.5 billion. Chemours employs more than 7,000 people worldwide.
Traxys, headquartered in Luxembourg, is a physical commodity trader and merchant in the metals and natural resources sectors. Its logistics, marketing, distribution, supply chain management and trading activities are conducted by over 400 employees, in over 20 offices worldwide, and its annual turnover is in excess of $7 billion. The group serves a broad base of industrial customers and offers a full range of commercial and financial services.
Velta LLC has been mining and processing titanium feedstock at Byrzulivske deposit in Kirovohrad region since 2012. The company also holds a license for the industrial development of Likarivske deposit with similar feedstock. From 2012 to 2019, Velta mined 1 million tonnes of ilmenite. The total number of jobs exceeds 500. Velta founded a research and development center Velta RD Titan that works on creating new methods for processing titanium feedstock.
CONTRACT, LUXEMBOURG TRAXYS, PRODUCTION, TITANIUM ORE, VELTA
Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), which replaced Ukrtransgaz as the operator of the Ukrainian gas transmission system on January 1, 2020, has reported continuation of Russian gas transit under the new agreement reached between Russia’s Gazprom and NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy in furtherance of the previous ten-year contract.
“We have transported the first cubic meters of gas to the EU under the new gas contract consistent with European regulations. The gas transmission system is operating normally,” the operator said in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday.
