Small Danube ports: developments and prospects

While in March-April 2022, after the Big Odessa seaports were blocked, the only channel for grain export was rail and road transport, the small Danube ports performance rallied quickly though quite predictably from May 2022. Until 2022, the services of these ports of Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaisk were not in noticeable demand. The export flows were insignificant due to limited depths and expensive logistics for grain deliveries from the key grain growing regions.

The first peak in agricultural exports via these ports happened in July 2022. The opening of the grain corridor made exporters increasingly less interested in the Danube ports until November, when the grain deal’s extension was in question and exporters switched again more to the alternative routes.

Most grains are delivered to the Constanta port and transshipped to larger vessels for export to distant destinations. In the 2022 summer, the freight rate for grain delivery to the port of Constanta rose to an incredible EUR 71/mt per mt. Once the grain corridor was launched, this costs gradually lowered to EUR 30-40, depending on the grain type.