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Odessa Merchant Sea port
Address Its convenient geographic location, linked with Russia’s vast natural resources, a crossroads where great amounts of diverse cargo were traded between East and West, led to the rapid development of Odessa’s merchant sea port. |
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From 1960 through 1980, most of its port berths were reconstructed, new ones for handling grain and raw sugar were constructed, and its port territory was enlarged at the sake of water area around Quarantine jetty. The port’s cargo handling peak was reached in 1989: 11 million tons of dry cargo, and 20 million tons of petroleum products. Since the fall of the USSR, the port’s cargo handling rates have plummeted, amounting to only 16.8 million tons by 1994. But a way out of this alarming downswing has been found by creating joint ventures between the Port of Odessa and private stevedore companies in cooperation with foreign investment. |
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The port can handle up to 38 million tons of cargo per year, ie 14 million tons of dry cargoes, and 24 million tons of liquid bulk cargoes. The port is equipped with modern equipment, machinery and devices for handling the following cargoes: oil and petroleum products; bulk raw sugar; bulk and packed grain; citrus fruits, bananas; and other cargoes packed in sacks, boxes, packets, big bags, barrels, or containers. The port has specialized harbours, testing sites, and terminals. It can take large passenger cruise liners, and has the most modern passenger terminal in Ukraine, which handles up to 4 million passengers a year. There are 38 berths with depths ranging from 8 to 13 m. The berth line totals over 8,000 m. The port has 7 terminals for handling dry cargoes, as well as passenger, oil and container terminals. The port is equipped with various harbours that provide inspection areas and specialized terminals, harbours.
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The following specialized terminals have recently been constructed in the port. The mineral fertilizer complex in Quarantine jetty that can handle 1.1 million tons of cargo a year with a storage area of 70,000 tons capacity. The grain transfer complex of Inzernoexport Ltd. at Berth No. 29 in Khlebnaya Harbour that can handle bulk grain cargoes, via railwagons and trucks. Short term storage of grain, up to 2 months, is available. Vessels of lower deadweight can be (un)loaded right at berth using mobile conveyers. On March 23, 2000, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a law designating a certain territory of Odessa Merchant Sea Port as a Special (Free) Economic Zone (FEZ). This special economic zone PORTO–FRANCO, a 32.5 hectares area within the borders of the artificially deposited and filled territory of Quarantine jetty, can operate for 25 years. According to this law, the FEZ territory is granted a special customs duty regime. Investment projects are only allowed on FEZ territory under the condition that their cost totals no less than one million USD, and that the project has been approved by Odessa Province Administration. Those who realize investment projects on FEZ territory enjoy certain benefits. Such enterprises are exempted from taxation during the first three years of operation; and during the following three years, the profits that these enterprises earn will be taxed by only 50 % of the current tax rate. So far, the FEZ territory has: a container terminal; a chemical cargoes transfer complex; TIR parking lot, and storage areas. |
