Ukrainian govt allows offshore grain transshipment from two Danube ports

MOSCOW. Aug 7 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian government has established anchorage locations near Bystroye on the Danube delta for offshore grain transshipments from the seaports of Ust-Dunaisk (Vilkovo) and Izmail onto Panamax ships.

Ukrainian media quoted Taras Melnuchuk, the government's representative in parliament, as saying the decision was reached at a government meeting last Friday. The necessary changes were made to the water area of the seaport of Ust-Dunaisk, approved by a resolution of October 7, 2009.

The geographical coordinates of the offshore transshipment locations will be valid for the period of martial law and three months after it ends or is lifted. The resolution itself with coordinates has not yet been published.

The Ukrainian Grain Association has during the spring and summer of 2023 been asking the government to allow offshore transshipments to all seaports of the Danube region and to grant the River Danube the status of inland waterway E-80-09 in accordance with the European Agreement on the most important inland waterways of international significance.