Ukraine Seeks to Increase Grain Exports Through Alternate Scheme

The Ukrainian ports authority announced on Tuesday that Kyiv has begun working on an alternative scheme for grain export by organizing what is known as transshipment operations near the Danube River estuary. The authority stated, "The government has approved a decision to expand the boundaries of a Ukrainian port located on the Danube River." It added in a statement, "New geographic coordinates have been introduced in the document for mooring locations near the Bystre estuary to organize transshipment of grains from the seaports of Odesa and Izmail to ships crossing the Panama Canal." Transshipment allows for the transfer of goods from one ship to another while both are docked, instead of shipping them from the port terminal. Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain producers and exporters, with its grain production expected to reach 55 million metric tons this year compared to 53 million last year and 86 million in 2021.