Ukraine launches Danube Grain Route project after Russia's demarche

General Director Dmytro Moskalenko wrote about this on Facebook.

“Back in the summer, we predicted that the Russian Federation could try to disrupt the Grain Initiative at any moment. Therefore, we persistently and systematically developed our Danube Grain Route project,” he wrote.

It is noted that the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company invested in the creation of its own grain transshipment, and also agreed with the Romanian company TTS on a faster and more efficient transshipment scheme at the port of Constanța.

Moskalenko added that the Danube Grain Route is already starting to work. In this way, we are talking about safe and guaranteed delivery of agricultural products from the river port immediately to the sea vessel of large tonnage. Logistics communication will be carried out and controlled by the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company. 

The company expects that the average caravan turnaround time will be reduced by about 30% due to the faster loading and unloading process. And cargo owners will not have to suffer losses as a result of long waits in line at the terminal.

The ships will also be equipped with online control systems, video surveillance, and the number of shipmasters in the crew will increase. This will enable the barge caravan to make up to two trips per month.

At the second stage of the project, the construction of new barges is envisaged. Also, the modernization of traction will begin in the near future - the overhaul of the self-propelled fleet with the replacement of engines.

• On October 29, Russia announced that it was suspending participation in the implementation of the grain agreement allegedly because of the "terrorist attack" in the Sevastopol Bay on Saturday morning. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that the targets of the attack in the Sevastopol Bay were ships of the Black Sea Fleet, which were allegedly involved in ensuring the security of the grain corridor.

• NATO and the EU call on Russia to urgently return to the grain agreement. 

• Ukraine, the UN and Turkey declared the validity of the grain agreement, the Russian Federation demands additional "security guarantees".