The queue of vessels waiting to enter the Danube en route to Ukraine's river ports has grown to about 80 over the past five days, although the number of ships being allowed
The queue of vessels waiting to enter the Danube en route to Ukraine's river ports has grown to about 80 over the past five days, although the number of ships being allowed through the route is also gradually increasing, a shipper said on Monday.
Russian attacks have effectively blocked Ukraine's main Black Sea ports, which once handled 90% of the country's grain exports, forcing Kyiv to divert cargo through Danube river ports with far lower capacity.
Shipping agencies last week reported a growing backlog at the entrance to the Sulina Canal, the only Danube channel deep enough for vessels travelling to Ukraine's ports of Reni and Izmail from the Black Sea.
Delays have been attributed to a shortage of pilots and the need to prioritise certain cargoes, including fuel shipments.
However, traffic through the canal is starting to improve. While only about five vessels a day were entering last week, at least seven are expected to enter on Monday.
"Since this morning, we have received pilots for seven vessels. Around noon, we expect more vessels to enter the canal, after pilots leave vessels which will head out to the open sea," said Katerina Kononenko from Avalon Shipping.
"In theory, if
Content Original Link:
" target="_blank">
