Ukraine has completed dredging of the mouth of the Bystroe River Danube, bringing the draught of vessels at the section from the 0th kilometer of the mouth of the Bystroe River to the 77th kilometer of the Kiliya mouth to 6.5 meters, the Ministry of Restoration said on Friday.
According to its release, the section from the 77th kilometer to the 116th kilometer of the Kili estuary has a passing draft of 7 meters, whereas at the beginning of the full-scale intrusion, the maximum draft was only 3.9 meters.
“This is the first time we have been able to increase the allowable draught of vessels under independent Ukraine. Thanks to this we will be able to provide more efficient and safe navigation between the Black Sea and the Danube River, as well as increase the cargo flow through the Danube ports,” the report quotes Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Ministry of Reconstruction Alexander Kubrakov as saying.
He added that since March 2022, transshipment of cargo in the ports of Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaisk has increased by three times. In general, more than 17 million tons of products, including more than 11 million tons of food products were exported from them.
According to the department, an increase in the draft for the passage of ships through the mouth of the “Bystroe” to the specified level became possible thanks to the elimination of the consequences of drift, the removal of sediment from the soil, the elimination of rollovers and the restoration of passport characteristics within the water areas of sea ports of Ukraine.
As reported, the passage of ships through the mouth of the “Bystroe” was opened on July 9, 2022 after the liberation of the Snake Island from the occupants.
Cargo transportation along the Dnipro River in January-October 2019 increased by 22.6% compared to the same period a year earlier, to 9.655 million tonnes.
According to the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, the number of trips on the Dnipro River during this period decreased by 30.7%, to 9,972.
Transportation of metal products increased by 24.1%, to 1.374 million tonnes, grain doubled, to 3.916 million tonnes. At the same time, transportation of construction materials and other goods fell by 5.4%, to 4.328 million tonnes, petroleum products by 37.6%, to 37,400 tonnes.
As reported, in 2018 river transportation in Ukraine amounted to 16.5 million tonnes of cargo.
The volume of traffic along the Dnipro River last year increased by 22.4% compared to 2017 and amounted to about 9.9 million tonnes.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, for 2016-2018 the volume of grain transportation along the Dnipro River rose by 180%, construction materials by 130%.
In 2018, the volume of traffic by inland waterways increased by 112% compared to 2013-2015 and amounted to 9.9 million tonnes.
Freight transportation on the Dnipro river in January-June 2019 increased by 42% compared to the same period in 2018, to 4.2 million tonnes.
As the Rivers of Ukraine Association reported on Facebook with reference to the Sea Ports Authority of Ukraine, the number of ship passages along the Dnipro decreased by 23%, to almost 4,500 voyages.
Transportation of metals in January-June increased by 45%, to 647,000 tonnes, grain shipments rose by 115.2%, to 1.722 million tonnes, those of building materials and other goods by 7.5% to nearly 1.819 million tonnes. At the same time, fuel transportation decreased by 51%, to 13,000 tonnes.
As reported, 16.5 million tonnes of freight was transported by river in Ukraine in 2018. Freight traffic on the Dnipro last year increased by 22.4% from 2017, to about 9.9 million tonnes.
In 2016-2018, transportation of grain freight across the Dnipro grew by 180% and that of construction freight by 130%, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
The volume of traffic by inland waterways in 2016-2018 increased by 112% compared with 2013-2015, to 9.9 million tonnes in 2018.