An oil collection vessel. PHOTO: Institute for Danube Studies
The State Enterprise "Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority" (USPA) has announced the purchase of a new multifunctional vessel, which should significantly enhance the environmental safety and technical readiness of Ukrainian ports on the Danube.
The new vessel will be designed to collect oil products and garbage from the water surface, act as a tugboat, and participate in firefighting on ships and port facilities. The expected delivery date is by December 31, 2026. The tender documents state that the vessel can be built at Ukrainian enterprises.
The procurement is part of the international project RELINC ("Restoration of Key Logistics Infrastructure and Network Connectivity"), which is being implemented with the financial support of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The announcement has already been published in the Prozorro system.
The oil collection vessel is designed to operate in Ukrainian Danube ports, in particular in Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaysk in Odesa region, which are now critical logistics hubs. In times of war, environmental safety, stability of port operations, and rapid response to emergencies have become no less important than military or energy resilience.
In September, the Ingulsky dredger, which was damaged in July while working in the Bystre estuary, was successfully raised from the bottom of the canal. The vessel was sent for a technical inspection, which will determine the scope and procedure for repair work.
Late in the evening, on July 23, an emergency occurred with a dredger belonging to the Delta Pilot branch of the State Enterprise Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority: the vessel hit a mine. The explosion killed three USPA employees. Other crew members were hospitalized. The vessel was at the mouth of the Bystre River to carry out scheduled maintenance with 11 crew members.
