Russian attacks on ports and the railway system are creating problems for Ukrainian logistics. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is now stepping in with support for Ukrainian Railways (UZ). Neighbouring Romania is also in talks with Kyiv to expand the lifeline for international transport.
A Ukrainian delegation recently visited Romania to discuss numerous issues, among which was rail transportation, according to Minister of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport Mykola Kalashnyk.
The meeting took place in Romania’s Black Sea port city Constanța. Ukraine wants to have better access to the port, since it is the nearest available safe seaport. Currently, Romania offers Ukraine six daily train services to the port. Both sides agreed to maintain this frequency for the time being. In order to enable even more Ukrainian trains to reach Constanța, Romania committed to speeding up repairs to port and rail infrastructure.
Ukraine and Romania discussed priority customs clearance for the former’s goods, as well as a joint information tool to coordinate carriers and port operators. Beyond Constanța, Ukraine may secure additional capacity at the Danube river ports in Galați and Brăila. The two countries launched discussions on that matter.
Financial support
On the operational side, UZ is going through a challenging time. At InnoTrans in Berlin, the company’s CEO explained that Russia has increasingly been targeting locomotives. This increases the company’s operational costs.
Now, EBRD is expanding its support for UZ. Transport minister Kalashnyk and the Bank’s President Odile Renaud-Basso signed an agreement enabling €130 million in emergency liquidity support. This money should help maintain essential freight and passenger services and support UZ’s financial resilience and reform programme.