Greece proposes to use its ports in the Aegean Sea as a corridor for the export of Ukrainian grain, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reports.
According to the report, the Greek government has already discussed its proposals with partners in the EU to transport Ukrainian grain through the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos. The grain could be transported to the ports by rail through Romania and Bulgaria, and then loaded onto Greek commercial vessels.
The problem in this regard is the limited capacity of the railroad network in northern Greece, which is located on the border with Bulgaria and Turkey and escaped destruction during the recent floods.
A “green light” for Ukrainian exports via Greece could also be an impetus for the development and modernization of railways in northern Greece, particularly on the line from Alexandropoulos to Ormenio, a station on the border with Bulgaria.
During his visit to Kyiv, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis informed his EU colleagues that Greece is ready to contribute to solving the problem and focused on the “huge consequences” of the collapse of the agreement with Russia, especially for the countries of the Global South.
Athens is confident that such a proposal could be beneficial for both Ukraine and Greece, the newspaper writes.
As you know, Lithuania and Croatia have already offered their ports to help Ukraine with agricultural exports.
German authorities intend to send additional air defense systems to Ukraine to protect the country’s grain exports, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
“They said on condition of anonymity that Berlin will supply an additional IRIS-T air defense system and more than a dozen Gepard systems to provide cover for shipments along Ukraine’s southern coast to Romania,” the agency reports.
These weapons are expected to arrive in Ukraine by the end of the year; Kyiv is to receive more IRIS-Ts as they are produced by Germany.
The sources did not disclose what routes these air defense systems will cover or what other capabilities Berlin may include in the new aid package for Ukraine.
German MP Markus Faber confirmed that Ukraine will receive additional IRIS-T and Gepard systems, as well as ammunition, but did not provide details.
According to Bloomberg, Gepard has a range of 4 km, and IRIS-T – up to 40 km. The air defense systems can be used to protect port infrastructure, the process of loading grain onto ships, and when they are at sea.
Lithuania has agreed on a corridor for the transit of Ukrainian grain to Baltic ports, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.
“Russia destroys food, Lithuania delivers it. A corridor for grain transit to Baltic ports has been approved and agreed upon, which eases pressure on the Ukrainian border and increases supplies to Africa and beyond. Cooperation gives results!” he wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, it was reported that veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary control would be moved from the Ukrainian-Polish border to the port of Klaipeda (Lithuania) for all agricultural cargoes heading to this port within two days. This will speed up transit through Poland.
Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) and DAI Global LLC, a development company working with international development agencies, have signed a memorandum on the implementation of the international technical assistance project Economic Support for Ukraine, which provides for the development of Ukrainian grain exports by rail, the UZ press service said on Friday.
“Our common task is to increase grain exports by developing solutions that will help increase and demonstrate the efficiency and profitability of Ukraine’s rail export logistics,” said Yevhen Lyashchenko, Chairman of the Board of UZ.
According to the release, the memorandum refers to support in the repair and restoration of grain hoppers and the purchase of locomotives, as well as reducing grain transportation costs through improved cross-border cooperation, joint actions that reduce costs and increase the efficiency of weighing and scanning cargo, and improving transshipment equipment.
In addition, the memorandum provides for the provision of comprehensive services for the design and construction of priority border crossing points (BCPs) and other areas and projects that will increase the ability to export agricultural products.
Within the framework of the project, DAI Global will primarily work in the field of rail transport. In particular, the company will modernize the infrastructure of border crossing points, purchase shunting locomotives, equipment for weighing and monitoring cargo transportation with a focus on grain crops.
The company will also facilitate and support the attraction of additional funding, in particular from international financial institutions, for the implementation of infrastructure projects.
As reported, earlier in September, UZ agreed to work together to develop intermodal rail traffic between Ukraine and Austria with the Austrian railway company Rail Cargo Austria.
Polish President Andrzej Duda calls it a good decision to maintain the ban on the sale of Ukrainian grain on the Polish market, while announcing his intention to increase its transit through Poland to help Ukraine and countries that need this grain, the Presidential Office’s X (formerly Twitter) reported on Sunday.
“I believe it is the right decision that the Polish government has maintained the ban on the sale of Ukrainian grain on the Polish market. However, it is necessary to do everything possible to ensure that transit is as high as possible,” Duda said in a commentary to the Polish TV channel TVP1.
According to him, transit corridors have already been prepared in Poland, thanks to which Ukrainian grain can travel through the territory of Poland and be exported to where it is needed. “We are trying to help Ukraine and those countries that need this assistance,” the Polish President emphasized.
“Thanks to the work of our farmers, we are self-sufficient. We do not need grain from Ukraine. Their excellent harvests during the war almost did not reach the countries that really needed them,” Duda said.
Romanian and Ukrainian Agriculture Ministers Florin Barbu and Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Nikolai Solsky have agreed on a new strict mechanism that will allow four types of grain to be imported to Romania again. The new system will require Ukrainian and Romanian farmers to obtain licenses, the Romanian newspaper Europa Libera Romania reported.
“Export licenses for Ukrainian companies will start in 30 days. During this time, Romania will also create a clear import licensing procedure for Romanian farmers and processors,” the publication quoted a Romanian minister as saying.
Another agreed rule is that imports are carried out only by farmers and processors, not by intermediaries, the sources say.
“A farmer who wants to import, for example, 1,000 tons of sunflower seeds from Ukraine must prove that he does not have that amount and that his animals cannot live without it,” a source close to the talks between the ministers explained to the newspaper.
Romanian authorities will check the stocks of farmers who ask to import grain from Ukraine.
Another condition is obtaining a quality certificate. The farmer will have to take a sample of the imported goods to the National Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), where he will receive a certificate stating that the goods are of high quality and do not contain banned pesticides.
The licensing system for grain exporters/importers will be introduced within 30 days.
Barbu said that Kyiv will coordinate Ukraine’s proposal to license exporters with each of the five European countries that have banned imports of Ukrainian wheat, corn, sunflower and rapeseed since May.
As reported, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine held talks with the relevant ministries of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria, which are studying the Ukrainian action plan and preparing comments on it. Next week, the next stage of Ukraine’s negotiations with neighboring countries will take place.
