The head of Ukrport denied that spots in the queue of ships on the Danube were being sold

Dmytro Barinov, president of the Ukrainian Ports Association “Ukrport,” denied claims of “under-the-table payments” for a spot in the queue for ships on the Danube. He emphasized that the Navigation Administration has no authority to influence this process. 

Dmytro Barinov spokeabout this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. 

According to him, if a port, shipowner, or operator were regularly paying tens of thousands of dollars for each port call, this would be reflected in business communications, disputes, complaints, and professional associations.

“This is complete nonsense. I have never received such information,” Barinov stated.

He also noted that in personal conversations with market participants, he learned about the insufficient capacity of the Sulina Canal and the shallowing of the Danube. According to him, issues with Romanian authorities and specific problems on the Moldovan route were also relevant. However, as he noted, there was no mention of 30,000–50,000 dollars per spot in the queue.

The USPA explained that the main factor determining the queue is the date the vessel is confirmed for processing by the administration of the respective seaport. There are also specific rules governing the allocation of throughput capacity. Specifically, 40% of available slots are allocated to Ukrainian ports, another 40% to Romanian ports, and 20% to Moldovan ports. Pilotage and vessel services through the Sulina Canal are provided by the Romanian Administrația Fluvială a Dunării de Jos (AFDJ).

On September 9, the government opened disciplinary proceedings against Serhiy Gursky, head of the Navigation Administration, and temporarily suspended him from his duties. This occurred following statements by Member of Parliament Anna Skorokhod regarding alleged corruption schemes within the agency. The Ministry of Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport emphasized that the decision to initiate proceedings does not constitute a finding of guilt.

 Serhiy Gursky was appointed head of the Navigation Administration on May 6, 2026. He assumed his duties on May 26.

As previously reported by Intent, Ukraine and Romania are launching a permanent coordination center for the operational management of vessel traffic through the Sulina Canal. This step will eliminate delays on the Lower Danube and ensure the smooth operation of the Ukrainian ports of Izmail and Reni in the direction of the EU.

Юлія Калабайда