Almost 60 ships are waiting to enter Ukrainian ports in a queue near the Sulin Canal

About 50-60 ships have accumulated near the Sulina Canal, some of which have been waiting in line for more than a week, waiting to enter Ukrainian ports on the Danube.

After the closure of Ukraine's deep-water ports, charterers began directing vessels to Danube ports, which led to a sharp increase in the queue. When there were about 20 vessels waiting to enter the canal, the flow was able to be serviced, but the increase in the number of vessels sharply worsened the situation.

The capacity of the Sulina Canal is limited by the lack of Romanian pilots, as only they can guide ships. In addition, only one commission is responsible for the registration of ships, and the procedure itself can take up to two hours. At the same time, ships with certain categories of cargo, for example, livestock, are allowed to pass outside the general queue.

The long queue has already led to a significant increase in the cost of logistics. For example, for a vessel with a deadweight of 6 thousand tons, demurrage has increased from $4,000/day to $6,000-7,000/day.

Experts believe that the current situation is reminiscent of 2022, when a sharp increase in cargo flows through the Danube ports led to a shortage of pilots. However, an effective coordination mechanism between the Romanian and Ukrainian administrations has not yet been established. Therefore, the formation of a queue at the Sulina Canal increases the load on the Danube route at a time when it has again become very important for Ukrainian exports.