Ukrainian grain terminals rating – 2021: leaders, new projects, prospects

Port operators at the end of the 2020-2021 marketing year reduced the transshipment of grain cargoes compared to the previous grain season by 20.7%, or almost 12 million tons – to 45.6 million tons. A total of 54 port operators handled grain cargo. At the same time, the 24 largest operators in total reduced the volume of transshipment by only 17.8% – to 43.8 million tons. Accordingly, the aggregate share of the turnover of the largest terminals amounted to 96% of the total volume against 93% a year earlier. The share of the largest terminals is growing steadily and has reached its maximum value over the past three years.

Such a significant drop in sea transshipment volumes was the result of a decrease in grain yield caused by unfavorable weather conditions in certain regions of the country. According to the State Statistics Service, the harvest of grains and legumes in Ukraine in 2020 amounted to 64.9 million tons after a record 75.1 million tons a year earlier. On the other hand, the volume of shipments from the ports was affected by the slowdown in export trade (especially in the first half of the marketing year) due to expectations of higher prices in world markets.

The pandemic and quarantine restrictions did not have a significant direct impact on export logistics. At the same time, as noted in the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA), last season was “quite successful in terms of logistics and infrastructure – there were no delays or obstacles to transporting grain by rail.” In addition, one cannot fail to note the development of river transportation of grain cargo by the leading market participants.

Top five

According to the results of the last season, the five largest grain terminals were headed by “Transbalkterminal” in the port of “Chornomorsk”, the second place was taken by the “Nibulona” terminal in the Nikolaev port, the third – “Nika-Tera”, the fourth and fifth places were taken by “TIS-Zerno” and “Neptune” in the port “Pivdenny”.

One change was noted in the composition of the top 5: the COFCO terminal in the Nikolaev port (port operator – LLC DSSK) left the fifth position, and Neptune rose to this place.

In total, the top five terminals showed almost half the decline dynamics compared to the consolidated indicator – “minus” 10.5%. In absolute terms, the volume decreased by 2.5 million tons – to 22.1 million tons. At the same time, the total share of transshipment of the five largest terminals is approaching half of the total consolidated volume of grain cargo handling, amounting to 48.3% against 42.8% a year earlier.

Leader

The first line of the rating for the second year in a row is taken by “Transbalkterminal”, which significantly strengthened its leadership at the end of the last season. This transshipment complex of the Kernel agro-industrial holding increased the transshipment volume by 21.3%, or by 1.3 million tons, to 7.6 million tons. The increase in the indicator was facilitated by the phased launch of the capacities of Transgrainterminal, the second grain terminal of the group. Yuriy Kizlevich, director of Transbalkterminal, told Ports of Ukraine that the shareholders view both terminals as a complex port asset. At the stage of systematic launching of capacities, Transgreinterminal handles grain cargo, but transshipment is carried out by the neighboring Transbalkterminal.

Thus, we have before us a new absolute record for transshipment among grain terminals at the end of the grain season. Accordingly, the market share of the complex also increased, amounting to almost 17%. Among the terminals of the top five, its share exceeded 34%.

Second place

The second position in the list was taken by the port terminal “Nibulona”, which reduced transshipment by 6.2%, or by 276 thousand tons – to 4.2 million tons. The relative stability of the result and the “million-dollar” losses of some competitors from the top five allowed the group’s main terminal asset to rise from last year’s fourth place to second. The terminal’s market share was 9.1%.

Third place

The third position in the rating is Nika-Tera. This private port handled 3.9 million tons of grain cargo, the volume of transshipment decreased by 29.4%, or 1.6 million tons. Although the losses are significant, the port managed to maintain the third line of the rating. Market share – 8.6%.

Fourth place

The fourth line of the rating is occupied by the long-term national leader in the transshipment of grain cargo, the TIS-Zerno terminal. At the end of the season, the terminal reduced transshipment by 40.3%, or 2.4 million tons – to 3.5 million tons. In the last year’s rating, the terminal took the second place. The market share was 7.7%.

Fifth place

The Neptune terminal will make its debut in the top five, increasing its transshipment by 14.6%, or by 367.5 thousand tons – to 2.9 million tons. In the last year’s rating, the terminal was in seventh place. Market share – 6.3%.

Ports of Ukraine

Tags: Ника-Тера, Трансбалктерминал, Ukraine, Nibulon, grain terminal, TIS-Grain, Neptune