Ukraine: First Time In 6 Years, Cargo Transshipment Increases By 129.8 Million Tons

For 10 months of 2019, cargo transshipment in Ukrainian ports increased by 129,8 million tons or more than 20% compared to last year’s figures. This is the maximum positive dynamics of the increase in transshipment over the past 6 years.

“The positive dynamics of transshipment reached a record 20%. Good harvests of the past and current marketing years among farmers, high prices for ore on the world market, as well as effective cooperation between the USPA and stevedoring companies should be taken into account. It is important to note that first time in the last 5 years Mariupol, where the USPA is completing a large-scale dredging project, returned to the transshipment ports-leaders, which demonstrate growth. In general, this year in all five ports, which now provide more than 90% of transshipment, the USPA implemented projects on dredging and invested in the development of the port infrastructure.”, the Head of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority Raivis Veckagans commented on the results.

The volumes of the current drivers of grain and ore transshipment have increased by more than a third. So, for 10 months, seaports have transshipped 43.6 million tons of grain, which is 37% more than in the same period last year. Ore transshipment increased by 33%, for 10 months – it amounted to 30.5 million tons.

Representation Image – Credits: ec.europa.eu

Second-year in a row, Ukrainian seaports provide a significant increase in container traffic. In January-October, container processing increased by 19% (+812 thousand TEU).

Exports, which account for the vast majority of transshipment, increased by almost a quarter. At the end of October 2019, 97.7 million tons have already been processed, which is 24% more than in the same period last year.

The trend of increasing cargo transit through seaports continues. For the first time, it was outlined at the end of 7 months of 2019 and continues until now. In general, compared with the last year’s figures, the increase in transit is 9.3 million tons (+8%). Also, 21.2 million tons more overloaded imported goods (+12%).

Among the Ukrainian ports, for 10 months the leaders in transshipment were five ports, which provided processing of more than 90% of the total volume of cargo. Pivdennyi handled more than 43.8 million tons (+28.3% compared to last year), Mykolaiv – more than 26.9 million tons (+20%), Chornomorsk – more than 21.1 million tons (+23.2%), Odessa – more than 20.7 million tons (+19.4%). And finally, the port of Mariupol on the sea of Azov managed to overcome the decline in transshipment, which lasted for almost the last 5 years and has already handled almost 5.3 million tons (+5.5%).

For 10 months, the seaports of Ukraine processed 9,813 vessels and increased by 2.1% the last year’s figure.

The majority of the vessels were processed in Izmail Sea Port – 2,946, in Mykolaiv – 1,474, in Chornomorsk – 1,391 and in Odessa – 1,200. At the same time, the largest increase in vessel working is observed in ports Olvia (+38%), Chornomorsk (+21%) and Kherson Sea Port (+16%).

From the beginning of the year, in comparison with last year’s period, the number of passengers who used the water transport in the seaports of Ukraine increased by 65% to 537 thousand. Of these, more than 527 thousand used domestic transportation – mainly cruise and routes – in the ports of Odessa and Ust-Dunaisk. 9,795 foreign passengers were transported in the ports of Ust-Dunaisk (cruise river liners) and Odessa.

Within 10 months, there is a decrease of 30.7% in the number of passages of vessels by the Dnipro River (9,972). Therein, the volume of cargo transported by the river increased to 9.6 million tons, including almost twice (up to 3.9 million tons) increased transportation of grain and 24% (up to 1.37 million tons) increased the volume of transportation of metal products.

A full overview of cargo turnover for January-October 2019 on the nomenclature of goods and ports, as well as in comparison with the same period last year can be found at the link.

Data on ship journey and cargo transportation on the Dnipro River see here.

Press Release

Source: Maritime Shipping News