Sulina Canal to close for four days due to adverse weather

Shipping through the Sulina Canal on the Danube is expected to be suspended for four days due to worsening weather conditions. The closure could significantly increase vessel delays, as approximately 90 vessels are currently waiting to enter the canal, while another 20 are queued to leave the Danube. This was reported by Danube logistics expert Kateryna Kononenko.

According to Kononenko, vessel traffic will effectively come to a halt during the closure, leading to further congestion. Vessels with priority status could create additional delays, as they are given precedence when passing through the canal. This may increase waiting times for other carriers and complicate cargo handling schedules at Danube ports.

The situation is further complicated by low Danube water levels, which have not risen significantly despite autumn rainfall. In late October, the permissible vessel draft near Izmail was recorded at up to 6.78 m, while official restrictions remained largely unchanged. The maximum safe draft in the Sulina Canal is 7.01 m, compared with just 5.5 m at the Bystre Mouth.

The permissible draft is 6.7–6.8 m on the Izmail–Mile 44 section, 6.7 m between Mile 44 and Reni and Galați, and 6.4 m on the Galați–Brăila route.

Tags: Sulina Canal