ODESA MEGA-PORTS SLOW DOWN GRAIN UNLOADING, WHILE DANUBE PORTS FACE LOWER TRAFFIC

Over the past week, the average daily unloading of grain wagons at the ports of Greater Odesa has continued to decline, according to Valerii Tkachov, Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation Technology and Commercial Operations at Ukrzaliznytsia.

“As of October 9, the average daily unloading of wagons at the ports of Greater Odesa amounted to 846 units per day, down by 15 wagons over the week,” — Tkachov reported.

At the same time, the number of wagons heading toward Odesa ports increased significantly — by 505 units, reaching 5067 wagons per day. The average daily loading also rose by 226 wagons, up to 785 per day.

By contrast, the Danube ports recorded a decline in grain traffic: the number of wagons heading in that direction decreased by 126 units, to 172 per day, while the average unloading dropped to 15 wagons per day (down by 9 compared to the previous week).

Commentary by the Institute of Danube Research:

“The data from Ukrzaliznytsia shows a shift of grain export flows from the Danube to the Odesa ports, which reflects improved maritime security and the gradual normalization of Black Sea logistics.
However, excessive concentration of cargo toward Greater Odesa may cause network congestion, longer queues in ports, and increased costs for exporters.
A balanced logistics strategy between the Danube and Black Sea routes remains essential to sustain stable agricultural exports — especially amid potential new threats or restrictions in the maritime domain,”
— noted the Institute of Danube Research.