The tender commission has completed the acceptance of applications for participation in the prequalification stage of the concession tender for the First and Container Terminals of Chornomorsk Port. The state is now moving to a detailed review of the submitted documents: over the next two weeks, the commission will open applicants’ files and assess their compliance with the qualification requirements, while the number and names of the companies have not yet been disclosed.
This concerns one of the largest public-private infrastructure projects of wartime and, in effect, the largest port PPP project that Ukraine is trying to bring to completion after the full-scale invasion. According to the Ministry for Development, the tender was launched on December 20, 2025 and is currently at the application review stage. The selection process consists of three stages: prequalification, dialogue with shortlisted participants, and the final competition of bids.
The concession covers the First and Container Terminals of the Chornomorsk seaport, including six berths No. 1–6 with a total length of 1,247 m and depths ranging from 11 to 15 metres. The concession term will be 40 years, and the key operational target for the future investor is to ensure handling of 250,000 TEU per year and transshipment of 3 million tonnes of other cargo within three years of the concession’s start.
Officially, the commission will assess applicants based on financial capacity, experience in managing port or logistics assets of a similar scale, and experience in infrastructure modernization. In addition, all participants will undergo security screening for links to the aggressor state, sanctioned entities, and other risks. Among the informally cited criteria are the availability of at least $50 million for investment in the terminal, real experience in terminal management, a commitment not to reduce staff for five years, and the ability to increase cargo throughput to the target levels.
The investment logic of the project for the state is clear: before the large-scale war, the terminal in Chornomorsk handled up to 50% of Ukraine’s container traffic — around 540,000 TEU per year — but this potential has been lost and now requires new capital and modernization. In various public statements, the Ministry for Development has estimated the fiscal effect of the concession at around $1–1.1 billion in budget revenues over 40 years, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in future investment in berths, equipment, and the terminal’s operational recovery.
An additional element of intrigue comes from international market interest. Even at the roadshow stage in Poland, more than 40 companies from four continents had expressed readiness to study the project, with some willing to enter even before the end of hostilities. At the same time, the ministry officially emphasizes that the state conducted a large-scale presentation campaign in Ukraine and abroad in order to attract strong international players with relevant asset management experience.
That is why, for investor selection, the state chose not to use a standard auction via Prozorro, but rather a competitive dialogue procedure. According to the Ministry for Development, this format makes it possible to structure the transaction terms more flexibly and obtain not only a better concession payment, but also additional investment commitments — for example, regarding related infrastructure, roads, or local development. Project preparation and the feasibility study were supported by IFC and the EBRD, which should increase investor confidence in the process.
The market continues to mention Maersk among the potential frontrunners, as the company had already shown interest in the asset in 2023, but officially the names of the applicants are not being disclosed. At the same time, the tender allows for the creation of consortia, so the state is deliberately leaving room not only for global operators, but also for groups of smaller players that may submit a strong joint bid. This means that the contest for Chornomorsk is only entering its decisive phase, while the concession itself may become one of the most notable infrastructure investment deals of 2026 in Ukraine.
It is worth recalling that in the main deep-water port of Odesa there is also a unique investment opportunity — a strategic 100-hectare land portfolio in immediate proximity to the TIS port cluster, the Port of Pivdennyi, and the Odesa Port Plant for the development of stevedoring and logistics capacity.
