Ukrainian Danube ports processed almost 9 mln tons of cargo in 2025

In 2025, more than 8.9 million tons of cargo were transported through the Danube ports of Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaysk. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Andriy Kashuba.

Another meeting in the QUAD format was held with the participation of representatives of Ukraine, the European Commission, Romania and Moldova, dedicated to the current situation in the maritime industry, in particular in the Danube region, as well as the consequences of Russian aggression for port infrastructure and coordination of further joint actions.

During the meeting, the participants discussed the impact of security threats, the difficult energy situation and access restrictions on transport, as well as short-term and long-term solutions to ensure the stability of logistics. Special attention was paid to the role of Danube ports as a backup export route, the need to strengthen their resilience, as well as supporting the stable operation of the national carrier Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company in the face of systemic attacks from the Russian Federation.

Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Andriy Kashuba spoke about the state of Ukraine’s maritime and river industry and the consequences of shelling of port and energy infrastructure in late 2025-early 2026.

“The Danube logistics route remains a critically important reserve export route for Ukraine, which has already proven its strategic role. Large cargo owners are constantly setting up a scenario for reorienting flows to Danube ports, so our common task is to ensure their stability, security and stable operation even in conditions of constant shelling and disruption of logistics routes,” Andriy Kashuba emphasized.

He noted that in 2025, more than 8.9 million tons of cargo were transshipped through the Danube ports of Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaysk, which made it possible to reduce the load on land checkpoints and support Ukraine’s export capabilities. At the same time, the increase in attacks on Danube ports and nearby cities led to disruptions in the power system and significant restrictions on the operation of the port cluster.

“The Ukrainian side outlined the priority needs for the restoration of the ports’ generating capacities, in particular the need for transformers and generators, and asked the EU to consider the possibility of support,” the post notes.

In the long term, the parties discussed the need to strengthen regional cooperation, the inclusion of the Ukrainian section of the Danube in the TEN-T network, as well as further steps to attract European funding for the restoration and development of the port infrastructure of the Danube region.

The meeting was a continuation of a series of working contacts between the Ukrainian side and the European Commission that took place throughout January.

Tags: Danube ports