Modernizing the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company’s fleet will save about €8M annually.

The Austrian shipbuilding company ÖSWAG is modernizing ten of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company’s (UDP) self-propelled vessels. Japanese engines will be installed on the ships, said Dmytro Moskalenko, General Director of UDP. The official also emphasized the project’s economic impact.

“Modernization of just one vessel brings an additional €800,000 per year. Fuel savings are 20-25%, the crew size is reduced from 12 to 7 people, there is a reduction in downtime for repairs and in the costs of finding and buying spare parts. That is, the payback period of the investment is very small,” he said.

Moskalenko noted that the first vessel to be modernized has already been lifted to a slip at the Chilia plant. Now it is being prepared for shipment to Austria, where the vessel will travel under its own power. As the official assures, there is financing and consent from international donors for the relevant works.