Priority passage for vessels carrying vegetable oil already in effect at Sulina

A priority passage mechanism for vessels carrying vegetable oil has already been introduced on the Sulina Channel. The new procedure is reflected in the vessel lists maintained by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA). This was reported by Kateryna Kononenko, Operations Manager at Avalon Shipping. However, priority passage does not mean that a vessel is automatically moved to the front of the queue regardless of its readiness.

According to Kononenko, if a vessel carrying vegetable oil is still far from Sulina or is not yet ready to transit the channel, an available pilot is assigned to the next vessel in the queue. The mechanism therefore gives priority to vegetable oil carriers provided they are ready for passage, helping to avoid idle time for pilots.

At the same time, the new rules are not expected to have a significant impact on overall vessel traffic. Kononenko noted that vegetable oil accounts for a much smaller share of cargo shipments than grain, meaning that priority for this category of vessels is unlikely to substantially change the situation with queues. As of October 26, approximately 80 vessels were at the Sulina anchorage, while another 25 were ready to depart.

Weather conditions currently have a much greater impact on vessel movements. Dense fog in the Tulcea area has been delaying vessels travelling from Mile 44 to complete the required formalities for the second consecutive day. According to the Avalon Shipping representative, the delays amount to approximately half a day. Restricted visibility is currently causing greater disruption to shipping traffic than the introduction of the new priority system.

In addition, vessel draft restrictions remain an important factor for navigation on the Danube. As of October 26, the maximum safe draft was 7.01 m on the Sulina Channel, 5.5 m on the Bystre Channel, 6.7–6.8 m on the Izmail–Mile 44 section, and 6.7 m on the route from Mile 44 to Reni and Galați. These limits determine the permissible loading of vessels when planning shipments along Danube routes.

Tags: logistics, edible oils, Sulina Canal