Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company sets new cargo volume record in August

In August, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company transported the largest amount of cargo since the beginning of the full-scale war — more than 206,000 tons. Due to the development of the stevedoring sector, during the last month of summer, the UDSC transported a record 56,000 tons of agricultural products, reported the company's CEO, Dmytro Moskalenko.

Moskalenko listed the factors that made it possible to ensure such a result. This includes, in particular, an effective fleet management system, a modernized system for its maintenance (another repair area has been added), as well as a new motivation system for repairmen.

In addition, the company is working on the creation of another grain transshipment complex.

"The barges are not idle: every month, up to 60 units of the non-self-propelled fleet are serviced and repaired. Now we have almost 200 barges in operation, which has never happened before! We plan to reach 205 barges in operation in September — the repair department must work flawlessly, like a production assembly line at a Toyota plant," said the head of the shipping company.

Moskalenko also praised the efficient work of the company's commercial department and the model of cooperation with Romanian partners.

Thus, grains are sent to the Romanian port of Constanta from Izmail, and mineral fertilizers, salt, etc. are sent in the opposite direction. In addition, "board-to-board" transshipment in Constanta allows parties to avoid queues at the terminals.

"Currently, the duration of the voyage is shorter than last year's waiting time for unloading at the terminal," said the CEO of the carrier.

In his opinion, the increase in the volume of transportation is restrained by the overloading of the port infrastructure in Constanta, where the UDSC has already deployed a tugboat to deliver barges, and the shortage of vessels among shipowners. But there are more and more people who believe in the prospects of the Danube, Moskalenko stressed.

The head of the Danube Shipping Company also hopes that the country's leadership will help with the arrangement of additional anchorages and the purchase of cranes in the near future.

Earlier, Dmytro Moskalenko stated that the western land routes will not solve the problems of Ukrainian grain export. Transporting products across Europe is economically unprofitable for farmers, so there is no alternative to the Danube.

On May 2, 2023, the company announced that it was going to engage in sea transportation. For this, three sea vessels are returned from the lease.

On June 23, the Danube Shipping Company was able to transport a unique floating crane from Odesa to Izmail, and on July 18, it loaded for the first time a vessel with a deadweight of more than 45,000 tons.

On July 31, the state-owned company Ukrainian Danube Shipping announced the completion of the repair of the first sea vessel – the dry cargo ship Vylkovo.