Elixir Ukraine wants to turn the privatized Ust-Dunube port into a fertilizer supply hub.

The Vinnytsia company Elixir, which privatized the Ust-Danube seaport, plans to make it a hub for supplying mineral fertilizers to Ukraine, the company’s owner, Valery Vihrenko, said.

Elixir bought the port to bring fertilizers to Ukraine from its Serbian plant via the Danube River. Vihrenko noted that Elixir Ukraine represents the Serbian manufacturer of mineral fertilizers, Elixir Zorka, and imports almost 150,000 tons annually.

The company saw the privatization of Ust-Danube as a chance to organize not only its transshipment but also product storage. Vihrenko emphasized the importance of storage, recalling 2022’s record shallow water, when transportation virtually stopped on the Middle Danube for several months.

“We cannot disrupt the supply. We need to accumulate large volumes to work with large clients in Ukraine. Keep at least 20,000 tons as a reserve. This is several hectares of area,” he said.