Ukraine Charts New Grain Export Route Through Croatia

Yulia Svyridenko, the Ukrainian Minister of Economy, announced the recent developments in the emerging trade route between Ukraine and Croatia since the former has begun routing its grain exports through Croatian ports. Although initially regarded as a niche route, Svyridenko expressed optimism for its growth, hinting at its potential role even post-war.

The innovative yet logistically challenging plan maps a route connecting the Danube ports of both countries. Grain from Ukrainian ports, Reni and Izmail, would navigate upstream on the Danube River, targeting potentially the Croatian port of Vukovar. Subsequently, the grain cargo would traverse Croatia from its eastern frontiers to its western Adriatic ports, possibly docking at Rijeka, Zadar, or Split. However, limited details on this venture have surfaced, sparking discussions about the efficiency and viability of the route. The logistic concerns primarily stem from Croatia's ageing and under-maintained railway infrastructure, which is notoriously slow and fraught with capacity issues.

Ukraine's decision to employ the Croatian route showcases the nation's resilience and adaptability in capitalizing on available export opportunities, even if they seem less than ideal. This move also brings into focus other potential avenues for grain export. Notably, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda suggested that Baltic and Polish ports have the capability to transship a massive 10 million tons of Ukrainian grain annually. Yet, the implementation of this proposed solution remains pending, highlighting the complexities surrounding Ukraine's export dynamics.