DP World completed the 51% acquisition of the terminal in June 2020 and manages the operation with its local partner, terminal operator TransInvestServices (TIS).
Last month, as DP World celebrated 12 months in charge, it announced that the world’s largest shipping container line, Maersk, had transferred its entire Ukrainian business from Port of Chronomorsk, to DP World TIS Pivdennyi.
Maersk currently handles approximately one out of every three containers that enter Ukraine – which will translate to the volumes handled by DP World TIS Pivdennyi once the shipping line’s consolidation of its business is complete in August.
DP World Europe & Russia CEO Rashid Abdulla said: “DP World has been working in the Ukraine with TIS and P&O Maritime Ukraine for many years, therefore we have been well aware of the potential in this market for a long time, which is why we were so delighted to complete the acquisition last year.
“Our first 12 months working alongside TIS have soared past expectations, which is remarkable given the circumstances, and that demonstrates the strength of the market as well as the level of talent and commitment we have in the team in Pivdennyi.
“This has been most obviously demonstrated by Maersk’s decision to move the rest of their Ukraine business to our terminal and we are looking forward to that relationship developing even further in future.”
Recent rail development at the port has boosted its onward links to other destinations, making the terminal even more important to Ukraine’s trading networks and helping to reduce carbon emissions with the new infrastructure capable of taking the equivalent of more than 10 000 lorries off the roads per year.
Rashid continued: “The rail connection embodies DP World’s philosophy of port-centric logistics, which means bringing together multi-modal transport options into one port. The result is that cargo is moved more efficiently, more cost-effectively and with less environmental impact than through more geographically dispersed connections.
“Multi-modal transport and digitalization of operations are our two main focus areas for investment across our locations in Europe.”
The port of Pivdennyi plays a key role in the development of the country and its economy.
Rashid added: “The Ukrainian government has encouraged inward investment to allow their economy to continue to grow and the signs in our industry point towards a very strong future for it and therefore the country.
“The Ukrainian market is absolutely key to our European and global strategies, therefore this is just the beginning of the story for DP World TIS Pivdennyi, with more investment and development planned in the near future. The truly exciting part is what comes next and what that means for the sector in Ukraine, the people it serves and the countries it trades with.”