Ukraine's Reni port receives first vessel with citrus fruits

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - The Reni port has received a vessel loaded with a new type of cargo, i.e. citrus fruits from Egypt, for the first time in Ukraine's post-Soviet period, whereas such vessels are usually handled by the larger ports of Greater Odessa, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing information circulated by the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority on social media.

"The Zeinab refrigerator vessel, equipped with an overventilation system and refrigeration units to transport perishable goods, arrived at the Reni port last week," the Sea Port Authority said.

In particular, it delivered 519.9 tonnes of fruits from Egypt, including 150.3 tonnes of oranges, 169.4 tonnes of pomegranates, 31.05 tonnes of lemons, and 169 tonnes of tangerines.

Citrus fruit shipments have traditionally been handled by the Chernomorsk and Odessa ports, it said.

The leader has been the Chernomorsk port, which has transshipped 253,000 tonnes of citrus fruits over the past five years: 83,600 tonnes in 2018, 74,100 tonnes in 2018, 43,000 tonnes in 2020, 35,500 tonnes in 2021, and 16,800 tonnes in 2022.

The Odessa port has transshipped 134,200 tonnes of citrus fruits over the same period: 45,200 tonnes in 2018, 40,400 tonnes in 2019, 26,500 tonnes in 2020, 14,300 tonnes in 2021, and 7,600 tonnes in 2022.

Since the Greater Odessa ports are currently operating only under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, cargo owners have to look for other routes for delivering citrus fruits to consumers, the Sea Port Authority said.