The Port of Chornomorsk is one of the three ports of Ukraine’s active sea hub (Odesa, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi) and its deep-water workhorse for containers, roll-on/roll-off cargo and metal. It has berths with a draught of up to 13.5 m, rail access of up to 10 lines and equipment for heavy lifts up to 300 t. Below: what a cargo owner should know about the port’s berths, depths and cargo flows, how the terminal concession is progressing and which operations we handle in Chornomorsk.
- 13.5 mdraught at berth
- >24 M tthroughput per year
- 10 linesrail access
- 300 theavy lifts
Berths, depths and the ships the Port of Chornomorsk handles
Chornomorsk is a deep-water port with a draught at the berths of up to 13.5 m: this lets it take large bulkers for grain and metal and full-size feeder container ships. The port’s strength is its rail interchange: access of up to 10 lines and its own marshalling yard give the throughput for the mass bulk and metal flows that reach the sea by rail.
For out-of-gauge and heavy units the port has equipment lifting up to 300 t — that covers project and energy cargo an ordinary crane setup will not take. Which berth is free and for what draught is a matter of the specific date; it is easier to settle through a ship agent who monitors the situation in the port. For deep-water “capesize” it is better to look toward the neighbouring hub ports with depths up to 19 m.
What cargo moves through Chornomorsk
The port’s profile is weighted toward containers, roll-on/roll-off cargo and metal — four main flows:
Containers
Feeder services and a container terminal.
Ro-ro and rolling cargo
Ferry complex, machinery and wheeled cargo.
Ro-ro and rolling cargo
Ferry complex, rolling machinery and wheeled cargo: lashing, loading plan, escort.
Metal and bulk
Metal products and bulk by rail.
Metal and bulk
Metal products in bulk and as general cargo, delivery by rail, lashing and separation in the hold.
Grain and agri
Grain and oilseeds in bulk.
Grain and agri
Transhipment of grain and oilseeds with phytosanitary control and a survey of the lot.
Each flow has its own documentary and operational specifics: a container needs a correct bill of lading and customs declaration, metal needs lashing and separation, grain needs phytosanitary control and a survey. We close this part through customs clearance and cargo insurance.
The state is preparing Chornomorsk’s terminals for concession: the ferry complex (berths No. 26–28) has been put up for 35 years with investment from $40 million, and major global operators have submitted bids for the container terminal. Details are in our review of the ferry terminal concession terms.
Services at the Port of Chornomorsk
We handle vessel calls and cargo in Chornomorsk end to end — from the ship’s arrival to release of the cargo from the terminal. It is the hub’s base port for containers and rolling cargo; for grain and liquids at deep draught the neighbouring Odesa and Pivdennyi work alongside it.
Planning a call or shipment through the Port of Chornomorsk?
We will match the berth to the draught and tonnage, handle the vessel call and cargo, and clear customs without idle time.