Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company launches Izmail-Constanta container caravan
The Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company has formed a container caravan between the ports of Izmail and Constanta (Romania).
At the end of May, a container caravan consisting of the self-propelled vessel "Captain Shirkov" and five barges (total capacity 300 TEU) was formed in Izmail for the first time.
Unloading works in Constanta are currently completed.
"The caravan is already partially (180 TEU) loaded with imported cargo. We hope to meet our ships in Izmail at the end of next week," the shipping company said in a statement.
They note that container transportation is an opportunity to use the UDP fleet more efficiently, because caravans with grain are usually forced to make return transitions in the ballast, ie empty. At the same time, container shipments can be required for both export and import operations.
"We started container transportation with small volumes, in April-May the share of export cargo exceeded imports. But we managed to find a balance, interest charterers, form the required volume of cargo in both directions. Our idea to form a container caravan worked, demand for container transportation will grow - we already feel it ", - the head of UDP Dmitry Moskalenko noted.