Ukraine and the EU are seeking an alternative corridor for maritime exports
29 July 18:02
Ukraine, the European Commission, Romania, and Moldova discussed strengthening alternative export routes through Danube ports. The discussion was prompted by the temporary suspension of ship calls at Ukrainian ports due to attacks by the Russian Federation. This was reported by the Ministry of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“The meeting took place in light of the intensification of Russian attacks on civilian port infrastructure, merchant ships, and crews. The recent massive shelling has effectively led to a temporary suspension of ships entering Ukrainian ports,” the statement reads.
Key Areas of Focus
According to the statement, the main areas of focus identified by the parties include – increasing the capacity of ports in the Danube region, developing rail, road, and border infrastructure, reducing the time required for customs and border control, and improving coordination between transportation, customs, and border services.
Separate mention was made of expanding transit opportunities for Ukrainian agricultural and other export products, as well as attracting European funding for infrastructure modernization within the framework of the Solidarity Lanes and the TEN-T network.
“Together with our partners, we are strengthening alternative export routes. The Danube corridor and the Solidarity Lanes are intended to ensure the stable movement of Ukrainian cargo even amid ongoing security threats. Our shared goal is to increase the capacity of ports and border crossing points, eliminate bottlenecks, and create predictable conditions for transportation,” said Serhiy Derkach, First Deputy Minister of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine.
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Protecting Ports and the Maritime Corridor
Andriy Kashuba, Deputy Minister of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine, emphasized that Ukraine is simultaneously strengthening the protection of its own port infrastructure.
“Together with our international partners, we are seeking solutions that will ensure the continuity of exports and strengthen the resilience of logistics routes. At the same time, Ukraine is working daily to strengthen the protection of its port infrastructure and the Ukrainian maritime corridor so that civilian shipping remains possible even amid constant Russian attacks. Only a combination of international cooperation and our own security measures allows us to ensure the functioning of maritime logistics,” he said.
Key Figures
According to the ministry, since the launch of the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor in September 2023, 209.3 million metric tons of cargo have been transported through the ports of Greater Odesa, including 124.1 million metric tons of grain. A total of 8,222 vessels have passed through the corridor.
Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian seaports have handled 46 million metric tons of cargo. Of this amount, 42.2 million metric tons were handled by the ports of Greater Odesa, and another 3.8 million metric tons by ports in the Danube region.
The ministry noted that the ports of Greater Odesa account for about 90% of Ukraine’s agricultural exports, which are shipped to more than 55 countries worldwide.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue coordinating and developing joint solutions for the development of the Danube logistics cluster and the further integration of Ukraine’s transportation system into the European network.
As a reminder, due to constant Russian attacks, shipowners have stopped calling at Ukrainian ports.
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