The Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (JSC Ukrzaliznytsia) continues to see a significant reduction in the volume of grain unloaded in the ports of Greater Odesa despite the announcement that the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has been unblocked.
Valerii Tkachov, the deputy director of Ukrzaliznytsia’s commercial operations department, announced this in a statement, the CFTS portal reports.
"We are recording a significant fall in the number of grain wagons unloaded in the ports of Greater Odesa - to 92 wagons per day. Previously, the figure fluctuated between 700 and 900 wagons per day. The average number of grain wagons unloaded per day in May is 243," he said.
According to Tkachov, 962 wagons loaded with grain were traveling toward the ports of Greater Odesa as of 22 May. The waiting time in the ports is 10.5 days.
Tkachov added that the situation in the port of Izmail, which is an alternative port for exporting grain cargoes from Ukraine, remains difficult because of the critical pile-up of wagons. According to him, 2,428 wagons loaded with grain were traveling towards the port as of 17 May. The total number of grain wagons unloaded is up to 94.
"There is a slight decrease in the daily unloading rate because of the change of vessels at the berth. The average number of grain wagons unloaded in May is 87. At this unloading rate, the waiting time is 25.8 days," the statement said.
According to Tkachov, the mass reorientation of the flow of wagons loaded with grain toward Izmail because of the blocking of the Black Sea grain corridor and the restrictions on the western junctions is one of the reasons for the pile-up of grain wagons in the port of Izmail.
He also noted the low level of technical support for operators (the lack of covered warehouses, powerful unloading equipment, and other equipment despite their large number in the port). In addition, according to him, the port’s operation is highly dependent on weather conditions.
