Oleksiy Vadatursky Nibulon general director
Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, Nibulon’s general director, spoke about the plan for the new terminals.
Photo courtesy of Nibulon. 
 
KIEV, UKRAINE — Nibulon, the largest grain trader in Ukraine, plans to build at least 10 river transshipment terminals for bulk cargo along the Dnipro River, the Southern Buh River and other navigable rivers of Ukraine. 
 
Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, Nibulon’s general director, made the announcement during the opening of the company’s
new transshipment terminalin the Kherson region. Nibulon also plans to build 40 non-self-propelled vessels and tugs for its fleet.

“We are the only company that works hard to contribute to decrease in traffic loading on the highways of the regional centers,” Vadaturskyy said. “We adhere to an approach according to which ports should be outside the populated areas and should not affect the inhabitants. This program is supported by the leading financial institutions of the world — the EBRD, the European Investment Bank, the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group.  We plan to build 10 facilities along the Dnipro River and along other rivers. This will fundamentally change the logistics map of Ukraine.  Local authorities, who understand what the logistics improvement and removal of trucks from the highways is, support us.” 

Nibulon transshipment facility in Ukraine
The newly-built terminal is nestled in the Kherson region of Ukraine.
Photo courtesy of Nibulon.
 
Vadaturskyy said the newest terminal has a capacity to transship up to 300,000 tonnes of grain per year and will remove almost 20,000 heavy-duty trucks from the highways of Kherson region. In addition, it is also the closest point on the Dnipro River to transport cargo to the export terminal and to the Black Sea; this will take only 8 hours.

A loan agreement was signed totaling $90 million during the inauguration ceremony of the terminal in Hola Prystan. The investment will be used to develop infrastructure of water transportation and cargo shipbuilding in Ukraine.

“The relationship between the EBRD and Nibulon go for many, many, many years,” said Sevki Acuner, director of the EBRD for Ukraine, while speaking at the opening. “Oleksiy Vadaturskyy is not only a hero of Ukraine, but he is also a hero of the EBRD. Because I know that he builds such facilities not only for the sake of commercial purposes, but he is committed to making Ukraine stronger.” 
 
 
Having signed a €74 million loan agreement with the EIB and a $100 million loan agreement with the IFC in the last six months, the company is able to invest about ?7billion in the development of the infrastructure of the agricultural sector.

“The loan implies money not only for such a facility; this is a program to revive transport waterways of Ukraine,” Vadaturskyy said. “This is the revival of Ukrainian shipbuilding. We have built about 60 vessels. In the coming years, we will build 40 more vessels using the same money. This is about 10,000 jobs for builders, about 2,000 permanent jobs for Ukrainians. This is a regional program for regions bordering on the aggressor and the ATO zone – Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia region. We will put the elevator complex in Svatove town (Luhansk region) into operation next week. We will unite the economy of Luhansk region with Ukraine.”

Andrii Hordieiev, head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, said the construction of Nibulon’s terminal in Kherson region at the expense of foreign financing became a real investment breakthrough to the region.

Nibulon
 
“100 days of construction work and 2.5 months to obtain permits resulted in this magnificent facility,” Hordieiev said. “1,500 jobs to construct this facility, 150 jobs upon it was put into operation. This is exactly what the government works for, what we are creating our state for. It is a matter of honor for Kherson region to attract foreign investment for the construction of this terminal on the left bank of the Dnipro River.”

According to Hordieiev, until recently, foreign companies were not allowed to visit the region and especially the territory where the new terminal has appeared – 70 km from the occupied Crimea. 

“Upon construction beginning of the terminal, foreigners and diplomats began to visit the region,” Hordieiev said. “We hold meetings with potential investors every day.  All this is due to the fact that one person — hero of Ukraine Oleksiy Vadadturskyy — believed in Kherson region and assured the whole world community that one can invest in this region.”

Maksym Nefodov, first deputy minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, said Nibulon’s new terminal is “a perfect example of the way how Ukraine, government agencies and business should develop.” 

The business development is hoped to lead to more European ventures and investment.

“This facility is an example of the fact that agriculture is a high-tech business,” said Vladyslav Andronov, state secretary of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food. “Such wonderful facilities that make Ukraine, European business relationships appear even in remote regions of Ukraine. Strong effort and responsibility lead to wonderful results.”