The head of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP), Dmytro Moskalenko, has announced that a framework agreement on possible transshipment of cargoes in the Constanta seaport’s outer anchorage has been reached with TTS Group S.A., the CFTS portal reports.
According to him, a UDP delegation has begun another working trip to Romania. "Currently, the UDP’s operations are most closely linked to this country. More than half of the cargoes transported by our vessels this year were delivered to Romanian ports, and we are interested in finding new opportunities, projects, and reliable partners in Romania," Moskalenko said.
The delegation held its first meeting with representatives of the Romanian-based TTS Group S.A.
The group of companies owns the largest river fleet on River Danube, which includes almost 500 vessels (800,000 tons). TTS Group S.A. has its own terminals in Constanta and seven Danube river ports. The group of companies also owns eight floating cranes.
"The partners have confirmed the possibility of cargo transshipment in the Constanta port’s outer anchorage, using the barge-ship scheme. The UDP has received the relevant price offers. Cargo transshipment in the outer anchorage will allow the UDP to speed up the turnaround time of its fleet significantly. After all, waiting in line to unload at a port terminal usually takes too much time. However, most importantly, the UDP will be able to offer cargo owners (Ukrainian farmers or traders) an entire turnkey logistics chain – from transshipment in a river port to loading onto sea vessels (the UDP will soon have its own transshipment, but more about that later)," Moskalenko said.
According to him, the UDP’s new logistics model is successfully competing with direct shipments by sea vessels from Izmail. Ukrainian river ports cannot handle large-tonnage vessels that can enter Constanta.
"The delegation also discussed prospects for cooperation in other areas during negotiations with representatives of TTS Group S.A. The group of companies has a huge cargo base, which is even larger than the fleet’s carrying capacity. This opens up opportunities for cooperation with the partners," Moskalenko said.
