The first cellular container vessel called the Ukrainian Black Sea ports on 21 April for the first time after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Informall BG, a Ukrainian cargo analytical company.
In particular, the 2005-built, 1,118 TEU PROS HOPE, a cellular container vessel chartered by the Ukrainian company ITERIS, called the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine, delivering break-bulk cargo before picking up the first export container from Ukraine.
Earlier, T-MARE, a multi-purpose cargo vessel capable of carrying 373 TEUs, delivered the first containers from Constanta, Romania to Chornomorsk, since the beginning of the war.
Informall BG reported that PROS HOPE is expected to replace the multi-purpose cargo vessel T-MARE whose last voyage was scheduled for 23 April. Additionally, PROS HOPE will be joined by another cellular vessel in the next months, and both will re-launch direct Ukrainian feeder service to the Port of Chornomorsk, according to the report.
“The possibility of restoring container service to larger container terminals in the Port of Odesa remains uncertain, pending considerations by stakeholders and the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” said Informall BG in its analysis.
Daniil Melnychenko, Analytics consultant at Informall BG, commented, “The restoration of the Ukrainian feeder service marks a significant step towards restoring traditional container shipping to Ukraine avoiding complex overland transit procedures that still exist with ports of Poland and Romania. This initiative not only creates business opportunities but also addresses the pressing humanitarian needs of the country finally allowing to decrease logistics cost and delivery time.”
