Up to 70 ships are stranded on Danube due to intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports, - Reuters
Dozens of ships due to call at Ukrainian ports to load grain have gathered near the Sulina Canal in Romania. According to various estimates, there are between 50 and 70 ships in the queue, and the wait is costing shipowners up to 8,000 dollars a day.
According to Censor.NET, Reuters reports this, citing traders, analysts and representatives of the shipping industry.
The Russian Federation’s attacks have forced the diversion of cargo to the Danube
The problem has worsened following an intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Some of the cargo that was due to pass through them has been diverted to river ports on the Danube.
However, their throughput capacity is considerably lower. The situation is further complicated by a shortage of pilots and the priority given to other cargo.
According to the consultancy firm ASAP Agri, as of 25 August, more than 50 vessels were waiting to pass through the Sulinsky Canal. However, only five to seven vessels were able to reach Ukrainian Danube ports each day.
The shipping company Avalon estimates the queue to be even longer – at around 70 vessels. They claim that the canal’s actual throughput capacity for vessels heading specifically to Ukrainian ports is only two or three vessels a day.
A day of downtime costs up to $8,000
Delays are already driving up the cost of transporting Ukrainian grain. Every additional day a vessel has to wait can cost up to 8,000 dollars. This further increases the already high freight rates.
The situation may get worse. Due to bad weather, the Sulinsky Canal was closed for two days, which risks causing the queue to get even longer.
The Sulinsky Canal links the Danube with the Black Sea and is one of the key routes for vessels heading for Ukraine’s Danube ports. Following the intensification of Russian attacks on port infrastructure, the volume of traffic on this route has increased.
