The adoption of the law on inland water transport will be the first step in turning the river network of Ukraine into the basis of its modernized transport system.
This opinion was expressed by the head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Ambassador Matti Maasikas when discussing the progress in developing the law with Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy.
“The EU very warmly supports this law and we expect it to be adopted at second reading … There is a great potential, because in reality today the possibilities of the Dnipro River are used only by 10%. However, some frameworks are needed so that there are equal rights for those who work in this market so that market operators know what to expect and that there is stable infrastructure financing. We hope that all of this will be provided for in this law,” he said during an online briefing.
Krykliy, in turn, noted that with the adoption of the law, an increase in freight traffic is expected from the current 12 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes per year with an economic effect for the state of up to Hr 13-16 billion per year. In addition, the development of shipbuilding will contribute to the creation of new jobs and the attraction of Ukrainian and foreign investments.
It is also expected that the adoption of the law will help unload roads, since transporting one million tonnes of cargo on inland waterways in four years will reduce the cost of road repairs by Hr 1 billion, since two barges and one tug can transport as much cargo as 250 trucks.
