Meeting in Izmail on the Work of Danube Ports

A working meeting was held in Izmail between representatives of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA), a delegation of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (MOVE), and the Danube Commission, the USPA press service reported.

The main topic of the talks was the safety of navigation in the Black Sea and on the Danube. The parties discussed the operation of Ukraine’s Bystre estuary and Romania’s Sulina Canal, as well as mechanisms to be included in a Rapid Response Plan for unforeseen situations, currently being developed jointly with the European Commission.

“Special attention was given to the prospects of increasing cargo transshipment in the Danube ports and the development of port infrastructure,” USPA noted.

The Ukrainian side expressed gratitude to the European Commission and the Danube Commission for their prompt support following the incident with the Ingulskyi vessel in the approach channel of the Bystre estuary. USPA emphasized that continuous cooperation with international partners makes it possible to respond effectively to challenges, maintain the stability of navigation, and develop port infrastructure even in wartime.

 Comment by the Institute of Danube Research (IDR)

The participation of the European Commission and the Danube Commission in the Izmail talks confirms that the Danube corridor is becoming strategic for ensuring Ukraine’s transport resilience.
The combination of Ukraine’s Bystre estuary and Romania’s Sulina Canal provides additional guarantees of safety and efficiency for navigation, while also diversifying transport routes.

For the region, this means strengthening the role of the Danube ports — Izmail, Reni, and Kiliia — in international logistics. Amid the blockade of the main seaports, the Danube remains a crucial export corridor for Ukrainian goods.

IDR underlines that the development of port infrastructure on the Danube should receive not only national but also European support, since the stability of navigation in this region is a shared interest of both Ukraine and the EU.