Odesa Port Operators Appeal to Authorities Over Ukrzaliznytsia Tariffs

 Port operators of the Odesa Sea Port have collectively appealed to the authorities over the cost of transporting goods by rail to the ports.

The operators have appealed to the Office of the President, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, UNIAN reports.

The letter states that the cost of transporting goods by rail to the ports is calculated depending on “tariff distances” — the route of trains to each port, which is determined according to the train formation plan approved by Ukrzaliznytsia.

Before the start of the full-scale war, trains heading to the ports of “Great Odesa” followed the corresponding shortest routes. In 2022, the bridge in Voznesensk was damaged as a result of Russian shelling, which forced trains to three ports to be directed along a longer route bypassing the bridge.

In January 2025, after the bridge was restored, JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, by a corresponding decision, resumed freight rail traffic along the “pre-war”, that is, the shortest, routes.

However, starting from April 5, in accordance with the new decision of UZ, tariff distances only for the Odessa port were again artificially increased by directing all trains towards the specified port along a longer route.

According to operators, this decision led to an increase in transportation costs by $2.5-3 per ton of cargo, which significantly affects the final cost of export products, in particular agricultural products. They emphasize that the increase in prices creates additional losses for exporters and negatively affects the trade balance of Ukraine.

At the same time, the cost of transportation to the port of Pivdennyi remained unchanged. Market participants believe that this situation distorts competition in the port services market and puts the Odessa port in a discriminatory position.

The appeal states that the conditions created by Ukrzaliznytsia pose a threat to the development and competitiveness of the Odesa port, which is of strategic importance for the country’s economic security. In addition, the activities of terminals operated by subsidiaries of large international holdings from the USA, Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland are at risk.

The operators called on the state to intervene in the situation as soon as possible and cancel or change the decision of Ukrzaliznytsia. In their opinion, it is necessary to ensure the movement of freight trains to the Odesa port along the shortest route in order to avoid further losses and unequal conditions of competition.

USM previously reported that business opposes the introduction of differentiated coefficients to railway tariffs in the direction of ports.