USPA Unveils Business Strategy for 2017

Ukrainian Seaports Authority (USPA) presented its plan of priority actions for 2017 during the meeting on 16 March 2017.

The event was held jointly with the European Business Association (EBA), the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (ACC) and the Employers’ Federation of Transport of Ukraine.

“Modernization and development of port infrastructure, attracting investments, improvement of industry legislation and measures to ensure equal conditions for doing business in seaports are among our main objectives for the current year,” said Raivis Veckagans, the Acting CEO of USPA.

He added that USPA is focusing on 12 key infrastructure initiatives, including two projects on the development of the Yuzhny seaport, and several projects in Odessa port, namely continuation of container terminal construction at the Quarantine Mole, construction of berth “№ 1-z” and berth No.7.

Among other projects, announced for 2017, are the reconstruction of the approach channel and waterways in the port of Chornomorsk to a depth of 16m and similar project in the port of Mariupol.

Favorable implementation of the mentioned projects will ensure new jobs, increase cargo turnover and budget revenues as each handled ton of cargo brings about $1.5 to the state treasury, reported USPA.

Talking about creation of competitive conditions for doing business in seaports, USPA said that it will focus on the maintenance of passport depths of the approaches and water areas in seaports, as well as the revision of separation balance sheets between USPA and state port operators.

According to USPA, creation of mechanisms for attracting investment is another important point for the company. In addition, USPA plans to apply international control standards in construction process of port infrastructure facilities (FIDIC) that should allow foreign dredgers to enter the Ukrainian market and assure investor companies in transparency of tender procurement processes.