Ukrainian seaports in January 2019 handled 11.195 million tonnes of cargo, which is 3.35% more than a year ago. “The main growth drivers are traditional: grain, ore and containerized cargo,” the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on its website.
The greatest pace in the context of cargo compared with January 2018 showed containers: an increase of 34% or almost 20,000 TEU. The volumes of transshipment of grain and ore increased more than 21% (by 665,000 tonnes and by 406,000 tonnes, respectively).
At the same time, the increase in transshipment took place mainly thanks to growth of exports by almost 1 million tonnes (or 12%). At the same time, imports and transit of goods, by contrast, declined by 23.3% (or almost 500,000 tonnes) and 12.5% (more than 100,000 tonnes), respectively.
The most noticeable increase in cargo handling indicators was at Kherson port – by more than 27% and the Yuzhny port – by more than 10%. Also handling increased in the ports of Berdiansk, Chornomorsk, Odesa and Reni.
Since the beginning of 2019, Ukrainian seaports handled 856 vessels, which are 57 units less than in January 2018. Berdiansk, Olvia and Kherson ports increased the number of vessels handled by more than 20%.
The seaports of Ukraine in 2018 handled over 135 million tonnes of cargo, which is 2.4 million tonnes or 1.8% more than in 2017. According to live information from the Ministry of Infrastructure, posted on its website, exports in ports amounted to 98.9 million tonnes, which is 383,000 tonnes more than last year, imports to 23.78 million tonnes.
In 2018, transshipment of containers in Ukrainian seaports amounted to 10.93 million tonnes (container handling grew by 11%).
Domestic shipments between the seaports of Ukraine amounted to 2.1 million tonnes, which is 14% (260,000 tonnes) more than last year. Dredging works are continuing at nine sites in the seaports, two projects in the ports of Olvia and Kherson have been prepared for concession. The number of ship journeys along the Dnipro River was 16,390, which is 11% more compared to last year. In general, in 2018 about 10 million tonnes of cargo were transported by river.
Ukrainian seaports in January-November 2018 handled 121.5 million tonnes of cargo, which is 0.61% more than a year ago.
“It was possible to improve the performance of the previous year due to the increase in cargo volumes of the metallurgical and agrarian industry, as well as containers,” the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on its website.
According to the report, during this period, the seaports accepted and sent 10,600 ships, which are 3,080 ships (2.9%) less than in 2017.
The authority recorded an increase in the volume of metal products – by 11%, to 1.45 million tonnes, as well as agricultural goods, in particular grain (by 0.1%, to 35.9 million tonnes), peas and corn (by 8.4%, up to 717,000 tonnes).
In general, over the period, the transshipment of export cargoes in Ukrainian seaports amounted to 88.8 million tonnes, which is 1.4% less compared to the same period in 2017. At the same time, there was an increase in exports of ferrous metals, to 13.6 million tonnes (an increase of 9%); including 8 million tonnes of rolled metal products (a decrease of 0.9%) and 2.7 million tonnes of pig iron (an increase of 36.55%).
Handling of imported cargo increased 18.13%, to 21.5 million tonnes. Imports of coke significantly increased (4.7 times, to 408,900 tonnes), chemical and mineral fertilizers (2.7 times to 313,200 tonnes). Almost one third of all imports entering Ukraine through sea ports is ore, which increased by 17.7% compared with January-November 2017, to 6.9 million tonnes.
Cargo turnover of transit cargo amounted to 9.2 million tonnes, 15.2% less than a year earlier.
In addition, from January to November 2018, more than 500,000 passengers were transported.
In January-November 2018, 15,600 passages of ships were carried out along the Dnipro River, which were 1,324 or 8.5% more than a year earlier.
The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority has signed an agreement with SC Complex Delta SRL (Romania) on carrying out operational dredging in the water areas of Izmail and Reni seaports following a tender conducted in then ProZorro electronic system of public procurement. “For the first time in the history of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, Romanian companies came out for dredging tenders, and one of them won the tender. This indicates the quality of the procedure, its transparency and competitiveness. Now the winner company can mobilize the fleet and proceed with the work required to maintain navigational dimensions in Izmail and Reni,” head of the agency Raivis Veckagans said.
The administration said dredging will help improve the processing conditions of existing cargo flows and attract new ones, increase accepting ship and develop the business as a whole.
The cost of work under the contract will be about UAH 32 million. The total estimated volume of soil to be treated is 200,000 cubic meters, including up to 156,000 cubic meters in the water area of Izmail seaport, and up to 44,000 cubic meters in the water areas of Reni port. The planned time for dredging is not more than four months.
Freight handling at Ukrainian seaports in January-May 2018 totaled 54.3 million tonnes, which is 2.13% less than a year ago, according to data from the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority.
According to its data, the volume of transshipment of imported cargo increased by 16% and amounted to 9.05 million tonnes.
The volume of transshipment of exported cargo decreased 7.35%, to 39.71 million tonnes. Handling of transit freights rose by 11.2%, to 4.824 million tonnes and handling of coastal freight rose by 49.3%, to 714,730 tonnes.
Transshipment of liquid freight fell by 9.78%, to 4.3 million tonnes, that for bulk freight – by 8.35%, to 36.95 million tonnes and for packaged cargo grew by 25.5%, to 13.05 million tonnes.
Container flow at Ukrainian seaports in January-May 2018 grew by 36.9%, to 325,035 TEU, and processing of containers in weight rose by 34.4%, to 4.274 million tonnes.
In general, the seaports of Ukraine processed 4,855 vessels in January-May 2018, including 1,026 in May.
The decline in cargo turnover is attributed to the reduction in grain handling by 4.9%, caused by unfavorable prices for it on the global market in this period, as well as a 15.5% decrease in ore turnover due to a decrease in ore mining by ore-dressing plants, the authority said.
“The upward pace of imports continue to be recorded for the following cargo: ore (17.8% up), transshipment of which amounted to 3 million tonnes and coal – 2.4 million tons (4.1% up), the largest increase in imports showed ferrous metals (18% up) – 6.8 million tonnes, including 4.1 million tonnes of rolled metal (4.1% up) and 1.3 million tonnes of pig iron (85.5% up),” the authority said.
During the reporting period, 3,130 ship journeys were made on the Dnipro River, which is 287 journeys, or 8.7% more than a year earlier.
A total of 316,800 tonnes of metal products were transported along the Dnipro (6.2% growth compared with the corresponding period of 2017), as well as 683,600 tonnes of grains (a decrease of 7%), 17,300 tonnes of oil products (an increase of 5.2%) and 902,000 tonnes of construction materials (an increase of 24.3%) and other goods.
The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine in the near future might submit a draft resolution on compensation of investments in the port industry to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration, Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Kistion has said. “We are talking about compensation of investments in the port industry of Ukraine, legalization of objects of port infrastructure that are not registered for objective reasons, both public and private,” he said at the Ukrainian Ports Forum 2018 in Odesa. In addition, the official expressed confidence that the ministry will soon complete the development of a new methodology for calculating port dues, as well as preparation of other legislative acts that will promote the development and modernization of seaports and will further provide opportunities to reduce port rates. At the same time, Kistion noted that since the beginning of the year the government has reduced port rates by 20%.
