Deputy Minister of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Yurii Vaskov has said the first containers could be transported through Ukraine’s maritime corridor in two to three weeks.
This was reported by the CFTS portal reports, citing the Interfax Ukraine news agency.
"All five container terminals are ready to handle containers. Almost all of them are involved in the transshipment of agricultural and other products. However, containers are a priority. I hope we will have the first [ship] calls in two or three weeks," Vaskov said during the roundtable "Challenges at Sea and Border: What is the Future of Ukraine's Foreign Trade?"
He predicted that terminals and container lines would resume operations in stages: "First the first line, then the second, then the third."
According to Vaskov, it will start with feeder ships, followed by container lines.
He added that the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure also hopes to resume the car ferry service within two weeks and the train ferry service in two months.
According to him, the train ferry covers all types of cargo except hazardous cargo.
The deputy minister said container services between Ukraine and Romania from the port of Reni and between Romania and Turkey from the port of Izmail are already operating in the Danube ports.
Vaskov emphasized that the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP) is also ready to transport containers up the River Danube, but such transport services have not been provided so far.
"In total, 1.8 million tons of cargo passed through the Danube in February, almost 50% of the maximum reached in 2023, and together with the Ukrainian maritime corridor, the volume of transport reached almost 10 million tons or 75% of the pre-war volume in February," he said.
