Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company to offer number of services to European river ports at uniform rate

MOSCOW. March 19 (Interfax) - PJSC Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP) will offer a combined transport service at a uniform rate to European river ports, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing the company's press release circulated on social media.

The company previously focused on transportation by river, whereas cargo owners were responsible for transshipment, delivery to the port and other issues, it said. Meanwhile, putting together different components of a logistics chain is a process that is accompanied by certain risks. It is easier for market players who operate small cargo volumes and lack the necessary evaluation to make their choice in favor of transportation by road, which seems to be more convenient and understandable.

"We encourage such clients to return to river transport services. Instead of freight charges from a loading point to an unloading point, we are starting to offer a combined service at a uniform rate, which includes all logistics chain components," the company said.

According to UDP Deputy CEO Vladislav Belakh, the company gained a successful record of commercial services by delivering grain from trucks at a Ukrainian port to large sea-going vessels in Constanta.

"This year, we are expanding this program to river ports of European countries: we will provide customers with both freight and transshipment services for various types of cargo (grain, containers, metal, etc.). Agreements have been reached with Hungarian ports. We are working with Austrian and Serbian colleagues. We are creating a partner stevedoring network. We already have the first clients. At the moment, it is European agricultural produce, but consultations on other types of products are also continuing," Belakh said.