Ukraine's Danube ports double cargo handling in 2023, nation's ports as a whole boost handling 21%

MOSCOW. Jan 24 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Danube ports handled 32 million tonnes of cargo in 2023, up 1.9 times compared to 2022 (16.49 million tonnes), Ukrainian media reported, citing the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) as saying in a statement.

Last year, Ukraine's Danube ports received and dispatched 14,031 ships. In particular, the port of Izmail served 9,324 vessels, handling 20.26 million tonnes of cargo (8.89 million tonnes a year earlier). The port of Reni handled 3,858 vessels and 10.07 million tonnes of cargo (6.82 million tonnes in 2022), the port of Ust-Dunaisk - 849 vessels and 1.68 million tonnes of cargo (0.785 million tonnes a year earlier).

Grain transshipment in the ports of the Danube cluster doubled to 20 million tonnes (10.3 million tonnes in 2022). Bulk cargo volume also increased - 5.3 million tonnes (2.3 million tonnes), ferrous metals - 1.7 million tonnes (0.8 million tonnes), construction materials - 0.5 million tonnes (0.3 million tonnes), and containers - 67,667 TEU (9,321 TEU). Ore transshipment decreased to 1.9 million tonnes (2.1 million tonnes).

USPA also reports that all ports of Ukraine handled 62 million tonnes of cargo in 2023 [growth of 21% - IF], of which 56.3 million tonnes were exports, while imports amounted to 5.3 million tonnes.

In the cargo nomenclature, grain cargoes accounted for 45.5 million tonnes, liquid cargoes - 6.3 million tonnes.

"A categorical achievement of 2023 was the start of operation of the temporary sea corridor, which allowed for unblocking the ports of Greater Odessa. On August 16, 2023, the first vessel used this corridor. By the end of the year, 400 vessels exported 12.8 million tonnes of cargo," USPA said.

The port of Odessa in 2023 handled 8.41 million tonnes of cargo (7.69 million tonnes in 2022), Yuzhny port - 10.08 million tonnes (15.28 million tonnes), and Chernomorsk - 11.41 million tonnes (11.76 million tonnes).

Last year, 23 cargo transshipment points were opened in the ports, and 15 investment projects are currently underway.