Ukraine and Romania to increase rail freight to the port of Constanta
Ukraine and Romania have agreed to expand rail transportation of Ukrainian cargo to the Romanian port of Constanta. Currently, the parties intend to maintain the daily transfer of six train pairs, and after infrastructure modernization, increase this number to ten pairs per day.
Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport, Mykola Kalashnyk, said this following a meeting in Constanta with Romanian State Secretary for Transport Ionel Scrioșteanu, representatives of railways, ports, business, customs and border services.
To increase transport volumes, the Romanian side must accelerate the repair of railway and port infrastructure on its territory. The parties also discussed priority passage of Ukrainian cargo and the creation of a common digital tool for coordinating carriers and operators.
In addition to Constanta, Ukraine has begun negotiations on additional use of the capacities of the Romanian ports of Galați and Brăila. This is expected to expand alternative routes for Ukrainian exports and imports.
A separate block of negotiations concerned navigation on the Sulina Canal. Ukraine expects to ensure the passage of at least ten vessels inbound and ten outbound daily.
According to Kalashnyk, by the end of the week the Romanian side should invite a representative of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority for joint vessel dispatching. If a large number of vessels accumulate at the exit of Ukrainian ports, Romania could allocate separate days for their priority passage through the canal.
The parties also agreed on the possibility of night passage for vessels that have entered the Sulina Canal before darkness, subject to safety requirements. In addition, the acceleration of the PRIMUS project, which provides for expanding the canal's round-the-clock operation capabilities, was discussed.
Ukraine and Romania agreed to continue modernization of road border crossing points. At the "Porubne – Siret" crossing, the Ukrainian side has already built four additional lanes within the European CEF project and is awaiting completion of the relevant works by Romania.
The opening of the "Shepit – Izvoarele Sucevei" and "Khizha – Ulma" crossing points for passenger cars, as well as the preparation of an intergovernmental agreement on joint border control, are also under discussion.
The Romanian side, according to the minister, also confirmed the economic feasibility of building the "Orlivka – Isaccea" bridge over the Danube.
The development of the Romanian direction is of key importance for Ukrainian exports since the full-scale invasion by Russia. In September, Ukraine and Romania signed a separate memorandum on cross-border infrastructure development, which provides for modernization of railways and road crossings and an increase in handling of Ukrainian cargo through Romanian ports.
Based on materials from: Mykola Kalashnyk, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
