The draft of vessels for passage through the Bystre estuary has been increased to 6.5 meters

The administration of the Izmail Sea Port allowed vessels with a draft of up to 6.5 meters to pass through the Bystre estuary.

According to the order of February 16, issued by the Port of Izmail, the passage draft of vessels in the section from the 0th kilometer of the Bystre mouth of the Danube River to the 77th kilometer of the Kilia estuary is 6.5 meters, and from the 77th kilometer to the 116th kilometer of Kiliysky estuary – 7 meters.

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the maximum draft was only 3.9 meters, the MIU said.

“The Danube port cluster has significantly developed its export capacity over the past year. Only since March of last year, transshipment of goods in the ports of “Izmail”, “Reni” and “Ust-Dunaisk” has increased 3 times. In general, more than 17 million tons of products were exported from them, including more than 11 million tons of food,” the ministry said.

Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructural Development of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov noted that it was possible to increase the permissible draft of ships for the first time during the time of independent Ukraine.

“Thanks to this, we will be able to provide more efficient and safe navigation between the Black Sea and the Danube River, as well as increase the flow of cargo through the Danube ports,” commented Kubrakov.

Increasing the draft of vessels for passage through the Bystre estuary to the specified level became possible due to the elimination of the effects of drifting, removal of sediments from the soil, elimination of rollovers and restoration of passport characteristics within the water areas of seaports of Ukraine.