The Ukrainian government is starting preparations for a new concession tender to transfer the ferry terminal at the Chornomorsk Sea Port to a private investor for management. The Ukrainian delegation plans to officially announce the launch of the procedure during the Ukraine Recovery Conference, or URC, which will take place on June 25–26 in Gdańsk.
The project concerns the ferry terminal, which includes berths No. 26–28 of Chornomorsk Port. The authorities expect that attracting private capital will make it possible to modernize the facility’s infrastructure and ensure the further development of ferry services without placing a significant burden on the state budget.
According to Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, Ukraine will not be able to independently finance large-scale port infrastructure development projects in the coming years due to the consequences of the war. He noted that direct infrastructure damage in the country is already estimated at around $90 billion, making private investment and public-private partnership mechanisms key sources of financing for reconstruction.
The government expects the terminal concession to have a significant economic effect. In addition to modernizing the facility itself, the project may stimulate the development of transport infrastructure, the construction of new roads, job creation and an increase in tax revenues for budgets at various levels.
A concession involves transferring to a private investor the right to operate and develop a state-owned facility for a fixed period while ownership remains with the state. In return, the concessionaire undertakes to invest in infrastructure modernization, ensure its efficient operation and assume the risks associated with the project.
The idea of transferring the ferry crossing into concession has been discussed for several years. Back in 2020, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced its intention to hold the relevant tender, while potential investment in the project was then estimated at around UAH 150 million.
At the same time, a concession tender for the container terminal at Chornomorsk Port is ongoing and has been running for more than a year. According to Kuleba, its results could send an important signal to international business about the readiness to invest in Ukraine’s economy even amid the full-scale war.
Experts view the projects at Chornomorsk Port as among the most promising examples of public-private partnership in the transport sector. If successfully implemented, they could become the largest concession projects in Ukraine’s port sector and demonstrate the country’s potential to attract long-term investment in infrastructure recovery and modernization.
