Ukraine has offered Poland access to the Black Sea. Under what conditions
28 April 08:49
A concession project in the port of Chornomorsk, which is one of Ukraine’s most strategic maritime hubs, was presented at an investment conference in Warsaw. This was reported by the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the ministry, the concession of the container terminal in the port of Chornomorsk is a vivid example of how international business can contribute to the creation of new infrastructure on the basis of transparency, efficiency, and commercial feasibility. It is also an opportunity for investors to become part of the new Black Sea logistics system.
What is known about this project
The Ukrainian side presented to the conference participants the key aspects of the concession project in Chornomorsk – from the terminal’s potential to the specific terms of the tender and measures taken by the government and partners to ensure transparency and investment attractiveness.
This is a long-term concession for 40 years, covering two terminals: a container terminal and a universal terminal, with a potential of up to 760 thousand TEU and more than 5 million tons of cargo annually.
The project has been prepared with the participation of the International Finance Corporation and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and already has ready-made tender documents with clear terms of participation, risk structure and guarantees of state support.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Development, the tender among those interested in the concession will be held in the second quarter of 2025, and the contract with the winner is expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of this year.
The transfer of port terminals to concession has been discussed for a long time
The process of discussing this possibility began even before the full-scale invasion. In mid-2023, it became known that terminals in the port of Chornomorsk were being prepared for concession. According to the then Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine, the first, container and fifth terminals are planned to be transferred to the concession.
Last year, Ukraine intensified work on launching new concession initiatives in ports and resuming suspended projects. Representatives of the International Finance Corporation were involved.
The schedules for the implementation of concession projects were updated, and the optimal timing for announcing concession tenders was determined. In particular, they discussed relevant projects in the ports of Olvia and Kherson.
Poland is showing interest in similar projects
Poland should rent or buy a port in Odesa to gain access to the Black Sea and export its own and European grain. This opinion was recently expressed by Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michal Kolodziejczak on Polsat News.
“Why don’t we in Poland talk to the Ukrainians about leasing us, for example, for 50 years, or selling us a berth where the Poles could have their own grain port?” the official said.
He mentioned Odesa as a place for such an enterprise. In this way, according to the official, Poland would have access to the Black Sea.
