Ukraine is building 12 terminals on the Danube to increase port capacity.

However, the Ukrainian Danube’s development depends on Romania’s position regarding dredging works, said Serhiy Vovk, director of the Center for Transport Strategies. In addition, according to Vovk, the Danube will still not be able to become a full-fledged replacement for the Black Sea ports.

“In any case, we are talking about only one of the transportation options. If we talk about grain, 50% went through the ports of Odessa within the grain initiative, 25% through the Danube, and 25% through the western border crossings. The maximum possible export through the Danube reaches about 20 million tons,” says Vovk.

The expert explained that the Danube’s main problem is its depth, which does not allow working with large shipping parties. Therefore, it is crucial to get the consent of the Romanian side to carry out dredging works and the possibility of using rail transshipment to Romania without involving its fleet.