Kherson port prepared for recovery after downtime due to war

Kherson Port is one of the first ports in Ukraine to be transferred to a concession. Due to the war and occupation, the port was idle for a long time, but now the Ministry of Development and the concessionaire have started working again to make the port work.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

The Ministry held a meeting of the working group dedicated to the fulfillment of the terms of the concession agreement for the Kherson port. The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers Andriy Kashuba and Maryna Denysiuk, representatives ofKherson Port LLC, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, and Deputy Business Ombudsman Tetiana Korotka.

The discussion emphasized the importance of developing port infrastructure even in difficult war conditions, as well as the need to take into account social aspects and the specifics of recovery. Deputy Minister Andriy Kashuba emphasized that the Kherson port is a key element of the country's logistics system, and the foundations are being laid for its rapid recovery after the war.

Deputy Minister Maryna Denysiuk added that public-private partnerships should be based not only on investment, but also on trust between business and the state, stability and shared responsibility for regional development and job preservation.

According to the press service, changes in legislation will come into force in October 2025, allowing concession agreements to be adapted to force majeure circumstances. The new rules provide for the possibility of suspending the terms of contracts, changing financial conditions and resolving social issues. The law creates additional mechanisms for attracting private investment in the country's reconstruction and simplifies the implementation of infrastructure projects in the format of public-private partnerships, including the possibility of receiving grants.

The Kherson seaport has been almost completely destroyed by the occupation and shelling, with equipment, buildings, and boats lost. The Kherson Port Company, which took over the concession in December 2021, has lost most of its production facilities since the beginning of the war. A part of the port on the left bank of the Dnipro River is still under the control of the occupiers, and the flood after the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was blown up in June 2023 caused additional damage.

Since 2022, the concessionaire has repeatedly appealed to the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development with a proposal to create a working group for recovery, but no decision has been made for a long time.

Анна Бальчінос