The Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure plans to launch concession projects at the Mariupol and Reni seaports.

Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Kryklyi announced this during the panel discussion "Privatization and Concession in Transport 2020-2021: the Next Steps" on 20 October, the CFTS portal reports.

According to Kryklyi, the prequalification phase of the project for the concession of the Chornomorsk seaport’s railway ferry complex has been completed. Two companies (EY and Hamburg Port Consulting) have been authorized to bid.

"Next week we plan to hold a tender and determine the winner, who will provide consulting services on preparation of feasibility studies and tender documentation. We expect to announce the tender itself in the second quarter of 2021," the minister said.

According to Kryklyi, the selection of legal and technical consultants for preparation of a pre-feasibility study for a project for concession of the terminal No. 1 and the container terminal at the Chornomorsk seaport is currently underway. The winner will be determined at the end of October and the winner will begin the relevant work in November. The concession tender itself is planned for the end of 2021.

Kryklyi also shared the immediate plans for the implementation of potential concession projects in other Ukrainian seaports, including the Berdiansk, Odesa, and Izmail seaports. "The final report of the pre-feasibility study for the Berdiansk Commercial Seaport has already been prepared. Negotiations are underway with a potential private investor to prepare a feasibility study for concession of the Odesa seaport. Funds for financing the preparation of a pre-feasibility study for concession of the Izmail seaport have been found. We plan to launch concession projects in the Mariupol and Reni seaports, and we are currently looking for funds for financing the pre-feasibility studies for these projects," Kryklyi said.

In addition, the minister of infrastructure once again stated that the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Skadovsk, and Ust-Dunaisk seaports would be privatized.