The partners call on Ukraine to develop the Danube against the background of threats to the ports of Odesa

The partners call on Ukraine to pay attention to the development of the Danube export route, as the threats to Odesa’s ports are growing.

This became the main topic of another online meeting in the Quint format, where US and EU representatives discussed the strategy of Ukraine’s transport capacity, the UDS reported.

According to international partners, although the capacities of the Romanian port of Constanta are significant (up to 5 million tons per month), the logistics costs through this port are higher by 10-15 USD per ton compared to Odesa. At the same time, the implementation of the plan to increase the export capacity of the Danube has already brought results: capacity has been increased, administrative barriers have been reduced and coordination at the borders has been improved.

However, since the beginning of 2024, a negative trend has been observed on the “Danube-Constanța” transport corridor due to the lack of vehicles and personnel. This leads to a decrease in the volume of transportation, which requires immediate action. Ukraine’s partners emphasize the importance of investing in infrastructure and human resources.

International representatives, including European Commission representative Alan Baron and the team of US Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien, proposed two key initiatives: ensuring a stable traffic flow on the Danube and developing a non-discriminatory rail tariff to equalize logistics costs between the ports of Odessa and the Danube.

Earlier, USM reported that in Odesa, defense measures will be strengthened in ports and infrastructure will be modernized. Also, in the seaports of the region, additional protection of the personnel of enterprises will be provided.