The Danube ports of Ukraine are on the verge of stagnation

The lack of cargo threatens the stability of the regional logistics of the Danube cluster.

Danube ports cannot compete for export cargo. If it is not possible to export goods through Odesa, the business will reorient itself to EU ports, said Dmytro Moskalenko, a representative of the UDS.

According to Moskalenko, the “plan to save the Danube” should begin with the formation of the concept of a competitive logistics chain. In particular, it should include a combination of all logistics links: railway, storage, transshipment and fleet.

“The Danube stops. The Danube needs a comprehensive plan based on market realities, not illusions that supposedly “spot” projects and improvements will change the big picture. Last year, the volume of cargo transportation through the Danube ports reached a record 3.2 million tons per month. It’s not about records right now. But we have to determine the minimum volume that is needed for the Danube cluster in order to preserve the significant potential that was created thanks to the efforts of the state and business at the beginning of the war,” the expert emphasized.

So, for PrJSC “UDS” this minimum is 150 thousand tons every month. This is a relatively small volume in terms of all-Ukrainian exports, however, it is quite possible to redirect it to the Danube, noted Moskalenko.

The day before, USM wrote that the port of Reni was operating at only 5% of its capacity, and the cargo flow in Ishmael had decreased by 40%.