Over 50 vessels await passage to Ukrainian ports via Sulina Canal
Over 50 vessels are awaiting passage through the Sulina Canal to Ukrainian Danube ports to load grain for export due to a shortage of pilots and the prioritization of other cargoes, Reuters reports.
Over 50 vessels are currently waiting to pass through the Sulina Canal to reach Ukrainian Danube ports for grain exports, according to Reuters. The delay is due to a shortage of pilots and a preference for other types of cargo, following Russian attacks that blocked Ukraine's Black Sea ports, which previously handled 90% of the country's grain exports.
Smaller Danube ports have taken over as alternatives, but their capacity is significantly lower, creating a bottleneck in the system. The issue is further complicated by competition for access to the canal, with higher-priority shipments like fuel taking precedence. Additionally, port operations must halt during air raid alerts, adding to the delays.
As of August 25, ASAP Agri reports that more than 50 vessels are waiting for passage, while only five to seven vessels per day are reaching Ukrainian Danube ports. The cost of each day's delay can reach up to $8,000, exacerbating the already high freight rates. One expert, Kateryna Kononenko from Avalon Shipping, described the current situation as a significant setback, noting that only two to three vessels can pass through the Sulina Channel daily, which is far below the real traffic capacity.
Written by urgent.news from Interfax-Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
