RUSSIA's National Container Company (NCC) has announced that its Ukrtranscontainer terminal (UTC) is recommencing operations at the Port of Illichivsk on the Black Sea near Odessa.

This comes after an agreement was reached between UTC and the port authorities to jointly operate the terminal was "re-affirmed" by the Ukraine's Arbitration Court of Odessa Region at the end of last year, an NCC statement said.

"UTC took over the terminal's management without interruption of vessel handling. Organisational arrangements (employee relocation, property transfer, etc) have been implemented to restart operations. UTC proceeds with rendering services on the same contractual terms that were valid in Illichivsk port in the current year," it said.

Vladimir Burulya, China Shipping Agency director in the Ukraine, said: "I am sure that after NCC's return, Illichivsk port will keep on growing as the main container gateway to Ukraine. We expect important changes in the terminal's operation, which will be implemented due to the experience of the international investor."

Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News