Ukraine and Moldova introduce joint control on railway route to Danube ports
A new railway checkpoint is being prepared for launch on the Moldovan border
Ukraine and Moldova signed a protocol on the organization of joint control at the checkpoint "Serpneve-1 – Basarabeasca", located on the railway line Berezyne – Basarabeasca, restored in 2022, reported the State Border Service on March 22.
"Joint control at the checkpoint for the Serpneve-1 – Basarabeasca railway will not only stimulate trade and economic activity between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, but will also strengthen our cooperation in border management," said the head of the State Border Service Serhiy Deineko.
The railway connection on the Berezyne – Basarabeasca section, which had been abandoned for many years, was restored in the summer of 2022, but it has not yet been possible to start a regular railway connection there due to the lack of the necessary crossing point, the opening of which was postponed several times.
- The opening of the Berezyne–Basarabeasca line is primarily important for access to the Ukrainian port of Reni. In addition, it provides an alternative rail connection through Moldova to the port in Izmail.
- During the opening of the section in August 2022, Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov explained that the restoration of the route had become vital against the background of constant attacks on the bridge across the Dniester estuary by the Russian forces. This bridge has been hit by missiles about a dozen times and still remains a bottleneck in logistics to the ports on the Danube.
- Kubrakov said that they hope to transport up to 10 million tons of cargo to Ukrainian ports on the Danube every year through the updated section.