Port in Odesa for Poland: will Ukraine sell the logistics hub?
4 April 21:15
Poland is actively considering the possibility of acquiring or long-term leasing a part of the seaport in Odesa. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland Michal Kolodziejczak during a speech at an industry forum, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
This is a large-scale logistics initiative that could change the balance of trade flows in the region and strengthen economic cooperation between Ukraine and Poland.
What part of the port is Poland interested in?
According to preliminary information, it is one or more berths of the Odesa Commercial Sea Port, which remains one of the most powerful logistics hubs in the Black Sea region. The Polish side wants to get a separate plot to create a logistics hub with grain terminals, warehouses, and its own transshipment infrastructure.
Two main models are being considered:
- A49- or 50-year lease as a long-term project under a public-private partnership;
- Acquisition of a share or a full package of corporate rights – in the case of a specific port company or logistics site.
In any case, the participation of the Ukrainian state in the transaction will be mandatory.
Why does Poland need a seaport in Ukraine?
Polish farmers are currently facing high logistics costs. According to Kolodziejczak, the export of Polish grain and other agricultural goods to the Middle East and North Africa is complicated by insufficient access to sea routes. Delivery via European ports such as Gdansk or Hamburg is longer and more expensive.
The port in Odesa gives Poland direct access to the Black Sea, which will allow it to:
- Reduce logistics costs by 15-25%;
- Increase the speed of shipment;
- Reduce dependence on logistics in EU countries, where there are sometimes queues and congestion at terminals.
What else does Poland offer?
In addition to logistics cooperation, Kolodziejczak said that Poland is considering leasing up to 500 thousand hectares of Ukrainian agricultural land. These areas are planned to be used to grow fodder crops, as well as to create farms that will operate according to Polish standards, but with Ukrainian labor.
This has caused some concern among Ukrainian farmers’ associations, which have already called on the government to publicly discuss the initiative. However, the Polish side assures that it will work only within the framework of the current legislation and in compliance with the land reform in Ukraine.
What is known about the negotiations?
The Ukrainian side has not yet officially commented on the initiative, but consultations are reportedly already underway at the level of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and the Ministry of Infrastructure. The Ukrainian government is likely to consider this opportunity as part of its post-war economic recovery and investment attraction strategy.
Possible benefits for Ukraine:
- Investments in port infrastructure – modernization of berths, warehouses, and railways.
- Creation of new jobs in the Odesa region.
- Additional tax revenues to local budgets.
- Strengthening economic integration with EU countries, in particular through joint agro-industrial projects.
According to economic analysts, the Polish initiative is not only about logistics, but also about a new level of economic integration between the two countries. If implemented, the project could set a precedent for broader cooperation with other neighbors of Ukraine who are also interested in access to the Black Sea infrastructure. At the same time, the Ukrainian government should ensure maximum transparency in the process to prevent the loss of control over critical public infrastructure.
