21.11.2019 17:32Dutch companies are interested in cooperation with Ukraine to develop the international waterway E40 for linking the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. They are ready to share experience and participate in the implementation of Ukrainian inland waterway transport development projects.
“I have seen four companies interested in cooperation. The interest in Ukraine is very strong. We have met many companies, and many companies are interested in helping us to modernize our infrastructure, participate with Ukrainian companies in a tender for the reconstruction of river infrastructure,” Deputy Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Oleksandra Klitina told an Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague.
The deputy minister stressed that the law on inland waterway transport is the key to the development of river freight transportation. She also noted that Ukraine needs to modernize the shipping locks on the Dnieper in order to develop the E40 corridor.
“In fact, without upgrading our river infrastructure, we will not be able to effectively accept vessels from other countries, and if the cargo flow increases, there will be a real problem with the queues and reliability of the shipping lock system as a whole. Therefore, the river infrastructure needs to be modernized first and foremost. The European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development are interested in financing the modernization of the river infrastructure, and a Dutch company carried out an investment needs analysis. The needs total more than one hundred million euros. However, the reform of inland waterway transport is required to raise funds. The European Commission considers that it is impossible to finance the river infrastructure and the market without legislation, without the implementation of European directives, without defining the market for river transport and the basic law,” Klitina noted.
According to her, the Netherlands has the technology and experience to modernize the river infrastructure much needed in Ukraine.
(c UKRINFORM 2019
This could be really big for Ukraine…and Belarus.
In my opinion this would increase European reliance on Ukraine which should hasten the inevitable break from Mordor. And the Belarus break from Mordor. This is Luka’s offramp. Maybe Ukraine doesn’t yet have the oil, gas or crops to cement Ukrainian reliance for Europe but this added aspect is welcomed.
Sounds very exciting, this is the way forward, in many years or not so many, we will be reduced to a return to the old days whereby freight was transported by canal and river using Horse drawn Barges and where possible, sail.
Even if this does not happen all that soon, at least the infrastructure will be in place and hopefully well maintained.
Forget about the budgetary black hole that is Donbas and spend the money on projects like this. Spend the money on the people who were loyal to their country and not the ones who will turn on Ukraine the first time a Russian leader wants to make a point.