Development of Danube ports, fleet modernization, security: the Ministry of Development outlined plans for 2026
23.12.2025 - 17:25
The stable operation of seaports of Ukraine and the digitalization of processes will remain among the priority areas.
This was reported by the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.
In 2026, the Ministry of Development will continue to implement measures aimed at modernizing sea and river transport and strengthening the country’s logistical stability.
“The priority will remain the effective operation of seaports, ensuring stable export-import logistics and restoring their material and technical base. Considerable attention will be paid to the safety of water corridors, digitalization of all key processes and the formation of ports as modern multimodal hubs capable of attracting investments and providing convenience for all market participants,” the message says.
In particular, for the development of Danube ports, it is planned:
• creation of a single administration of the Danube cluster and transformation of state stevedores into modern corporate enterprises;
• maximum automation of processes in ports and development of the River Information Service;
• increasing the efficiency of logistics connections towards the Danube seaports through the use of multimodal solutions.
It is expected that these measures will ensure the operation of the Danube ports at a level of not less than 15 million tons of cargo per year.
The ministry plans to optimize administrative costs by UAH 22 million, save over 2,000 jobs and ensure stable operation of PrJSC “UDS” on the Danube River towards EU ports.
It is also planned to form a Supervisory Board at the State Enterprise “Ukrainian Seaports Administration” and other key industry enterprises.
The department notes that work will continue on fulfilling obligations within the Ukraine Facility – including amendments to legislation in the field of merchant shipping and inland waterways navigation.
“In 2026, it is planned to introduce a mechanism for compensating investments in strategic port infrastructure facilities of state ownership and continue the digitalization of key processes, in particular, the implementation of the Maritime Single Window and the implementation of the UkrRIS-Danube project. We will also work on restoring the effective operation of PrJSC “Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company”, implementing PPP projects in the seaport of Chornomorsk and resolving problematic issues of concessions in the ports of Olvia and Kherson,” the Ministry of Development emphasizes.
A separate priority will be to establish equal and transparent access of operators to infrastructure, as well as work with international partners to restore port and river infrastructure and modernize the technical fleet. Ukraine will also continue integration into the European river space, in particular by expanding the international recognition of Ukrainian documents on the qualification of ship personnel.
Systematic international activity will continue by consolidating international support for the application of international law in merchant shipping, in particular, countering the activities of the Russian “shadow fleet” and working on the ratification of new conventional instruments.
As previously reported by USM, maritime exports in 2025 exceeded exports in 2024. In 11 months of 2025, the ports of Great Odesa processed almost 68 million tons of cargo, and the ports of the Danube – over 8 million tons.
