Ukraine plans new export route on Danube to bypass Polish blockade

Ukraine plans to use an additional route on the Danube River to increase the export to pre-war levels since the Polish blockade of agricultural products shuts off Ukraine's ground border with the EU. Source: Bloomberg "We are planning container transportation via the upper Danube as Romania is more predictable than the Polish border," Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister, said.

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The new route will run from the Ukrainian seaport in Izmail to Romania's Constanta.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company has constructed the second large-tonnage barge SLG for cargo delivery.

Background: 

  • On 20 February Polish farmers intensified protest actions near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint.

    The protesters blocked the railroad and spilled grain from a freight train onto the tracks.

  • The Polish farmers, who are blocking the traffic near the checkpoints at the Polish-Ukrainian border, are planning to continue the protest action for a month - until April.
  • Reportedly, in case the blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border is not lifted by the end of the month, Ukraine's budget may lose up to UAH 7.7 billion (approximately US£200.5 million).
  • The Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company starts forming container caravans to facilitate an alternative logistic route on the Danube River which would bypass the blocked western border.

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