Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company will increase transshipment in the port of Constanta due to barge caravans

As noted, over the past year, the Danube has become the second most important corridor for the export of Ukrainian crops. Through Ukrainian Danube ports, 15 million tons, or a quarter of Ukrainian agricultural cargo, were shipped to Constanta. The barge fleet delivered 4.4 million tons of agricultural products to Constanta. Almost a quarter of this volume was delivered by the UDP fleet.

Experts predict that in the new season Constanta may be overwhelmed with grain from the Middle Danube, as Romania, Serbia and Hungary export 20-24 million tons of agricultural products per year through Constanta.

“As for the Ukrainian grain flow, a significant share of exports from the Danube ports currently bypasses Constanta. Agricultural products are loaded onto seagoing vessels that move through the Bystryi Estuary. However, the seasonal drop in the Danube’s water level, which begins in July, may hinder the ships’ ability to leave Bystry. As a result, the Sulin will be blocked again. Grain cargoes will be reoriented to the barge fleet, which will head to Constanta en masse,” the company explains.

And they predict that the cargo turnover of Constanta may increase to 90 million tons, and possibly to 100 million tons. This will lead to catastrophic congestion of the port infrastructure.

“Our company came up with a solution to the problem of congestion in Constanta’s port infrastructure last year. We have created a comprehensive logistics chain that includes our own transshipment of the UDP, transportation by barge caravan and loading onto a sea vessel in the port of Constanta on a “side-by-side” basis. In six months, the logistics scheme has been worked out and is ready for scaling. We are considering increasing the transshipment capacity in the port of Constanta, which will speed up the processing of caravans,” the company said.

The company is also considering the development of other areas of agricultural exports from Ukraine, such as container transportation of processed products or niche crops to Austria and Germany.