Grain unloading at Greater Odessa ports up 5.8-fold in past week

MOSCOW. May 30 (Interfax) - The average daily pace of unloading grain cars at the Greater Odessa ports saw a 5.8-fold increase over the past week to 535 cars, while the number of grain cars heading to the ports grew 2.5 times to 2,413, deputy director of commerce at JSC Ukrainian Railways Valery Tkachev said.

"As of May 29, 2,413 grain cars were moving to the Greater Odessa ports. Over the past day, 535 railcars with grain were unloaded at the ports. The average daily unloading in May increased to 226 grain cars. In the presence of these volumes, the waiting time for unloading (queue) is 4.5 days (at the current pace of 535 cars per day)," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Tkachev as saying in a social media post.

He explained the increase with the intensification of operations of the Greater Odessa ports, apart from the Yuzhny port, following the renewal of the Black Sea grain deal. Twenty-three vessels - 12 vessels bound for the Odessa port and 11 vessels heading to the Chernomorsk port - were inspected between May 19 and May 28, the Odessa railway said.

There are four vessels - one bound for Odessa and three for the Chernomorsk port - in the inspection zone. Another five vessels - one bound for Odessa and four for Chernomorsk - have registered for inspection. Forty-nine vessels - 11 bound for Odessa, 22 for Chernomorsk, and 16 for Yuzhny - are awaiting inspection.

At the same time, the situation at the Izmail port, which is an alternative port for grain exports, remains difficult as a considerable number of railcars have amassed there. The waiting time in the queue at the port has increased from 25.8 days the week before to 31.8 days now. The current pace of unloading is 94 cars per day.

"As of May 29, 2,164 grain cars are moving toward the Izmail port. The overall pace of unloading is 68 cars per day. At the same time, the daily unloading has decreased due to adverse weather (rain) on May 28-29. The daily average pace of unloading at the port stands at 89 grain cars in May. Given the current pace of unloading at 94 cars per day, the waiting time (queue) is 31.8 days," Ukrainian Railways said.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed by the United Nations, Ukraine, Turkey, and Russia in Istanbul on July 22, 2022, opening a corridor for grain exports from three Ukrainian ports - Chernomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny.