Ukraine advised to make greater use of Galati and Braila ports for grain exports

Ukrainian grain exporters should make greater use of Romania’s Galati and Braila ports, which have available transshipment capacity and could serve as alternatives to the congested route through Constanta. Romanian grain market analyst Cesar Gheorghe made these remarks. According to him, these ports could provide additional opportunities for Ukrainian agricultural exports amid capacity constraints along major logistics routes.

The main advantages of Galati and Braila include available grain loading capacity, relatively low shipping traffic and faster access to the Sulina Canal. According to the analyst, using these ports would allow Ukrainian exporters to diversify transportation routes and reduce their dependence on Constanta, which remains the main Romanian gateway for Ukrainian grain shipments.

Cesar Gheorghe recalled that in 2022–2023, he visited the ports of Galati, Braila and Tulcea together with representatives of the Ukrainian government to assess their potential. According to him, Romania invested in developing these logistics routes, expecting Ukrainian shippers to make greater use of them. However, after operations resumed at the ports of Greater Odesa, a significant share of Ukrainian grain exports shifted back to the Black Sea maritime corridor.

According to the analyst, this change in logistics priorities did not meet the expectations of Romanian partners who had invested in developing alternative routes. Gheorghe emphasized that honoring agreements and maintaining stable cooperation are essential for building long-term trust between Ukrainian exporters and Romanian port infrastructure operators.

Constanta currently remains Romania’s main port for handling Ukrainian grain, particularly wheat and barley. However, making use of the capacities available at Galati and Braila could expand export opportunities via the Danube and provide additional options for shipping agricultural products. Amid logistics restrictions in the Black Sea region, diversification of port routes remains an important factor in maintaining the stability of Ukrainian grain exports.

Tags: Ukraine, grain, Romania, grain export, logistics, Galati, Braila