Chornomorsk container terminal concession moves to dialogue phase

The Chornomorsk terminal concession has moved to its competitive dialogue stage — the phase where Ukraine and shortlisted operators negotiate the contract for the port’s First and Container terminals. It is the country’s first large port concession launched in wartime, and it sets the terms under which a private operator would rebuild box handling at one of the Odesa hub’s three working ports.

• 40year concession term
• 6deep-water berths, 11–15 m
• 760,000TEU/year potential capacity
• 250,000TEU/year target within 3 years

What is on the table at Chornomorsk

The concession bundles Terminal No.1 and the Container Terminal — six berths roughly 1,247 m long with depths of 11 to 15 metres. The state keeps ownership; the operator invests, runs the terminals, shares profit and carries social obligations. The advisory work is led by the EBRD and the IFC, with EY as legal advisor, and the winner is to be chosen on the best price and terms. The headline potential is up to 760,000 TEU and over 5 million tonnes of cargo a year, with an operating target of 250,000 TEU within three years of signing.

For cargo owners this is about restoring capacity where it was lost. Before the full-scale war Chornomorsk handled close to half of Ukraine’s container traffic — around 540,000 TEU a year. Rebuilding that under a long-term operator would widen the options for container shipping through the hub alongside Odesa and Pivdennyi.

Where the tender stands now

The project was formally announced on 20 December 2025. Bid submission ran into March 2026, prequalification of Ukrainian and international companies closed in April, and the process has now entered competitive dialogue. More than 20 companies from four continents — including operators that run terminals from Barcelona to Antwerp — showed interest at the investor presentations. Reporting on the timeline and shortlist comes from the Center for Transport Strategies and Ukraine’s Ministry for Development.

A modern operator at Chornomorsk would change how shippers plan calls, equipment and dwell times. Our team handles ship agency and cargo transshipment across the working hub, so we track these moves as they affect real schedules — see all services.

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