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Over 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain were shipped through the port of Constanta in the first eight months
Ukraine exported more grain through the port of Constanta in January-August 2023 than it did in all of 2022, even though volumes have fallen recently after Russian attacks on Danube ports prompted Ukrainian exporters to turn to road and rail routes, Reuters reports.
According to the port authority, Ukraine exported 9.2 million tonnes of grain through the port of Constanta in the first eight months of the year, but the pace of deliveries has slowed as Russian attacks on Danube ports have intensified.
Ukraine is one of the world's biggest grain exporters, and the port of Constanta is now the most important alternative export route for Kiev, as grain arrives in the Romanian port by truck, rail or barge on the Danube.
But since July, when Moscow abandoned an international agreement allowing Ukraine to export its grain through its Black Sea ports, Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's Danube ports. As a result, Ukraine has increased its grain shipments by rail and road, say brokers interviewed by Reuters.
Data presented by the port authority shows that in the first seven months of this year a total of 8.1 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain was shipped through the port of Constanta. By comparison, during the whole of 2022, Ukraine shipped 8.6 million tonnes of grain through the port of Constanta.
The Romanian officials announced that during the period to come they will double the transit monthly capacity for the grains, up to four million tons and the investments in infrastructure are underway.
But the Ukrainian grains must compete for space in the Constanta port which traditionally manages the Romania’s export of agricultural produce as well as that of the neighbouring landlocked countries such as Hungary and Serbia.
As a total, between January and August 2023, through the Constanta port there were sent 22.2 million tons of grains and the port authority estimates that during this year the record of approximately 25 million tons will be surpassed.