The metallurgical industry suffered a heavy blow due to the war and is in a deep crisis. A solution to help the industry recover could be the unblocking of seaports for exports. In addition, it will give a huge boost to the development of Ukraine’s economy. Such confidence was expressed by Oleksandr Kalenkov, the president of VP “Ukrmetalurgprom”.
He recalled that the industry was dealt a huge blow: it lost part of its factories, and due to the restructuring of logistics chains, the cost of transporting products increased 4-5 times. Enterprises are loaded by 15% or less, and some are displayed in simple.
“If I were asked to single out one measure that could save the industry, it would be the unblocking of sea ports. Therefore, it is correct to declare this on the international arena: it is about the economic survival of both us and the partners with whom we work. But this is also a question for the entire industry,” Kalenkov stressed.
According to him, if the ports are unblocked, Ukraine will receive an additional $8 billion from the export sale of metal products, which will relieve the burden on the exchange rate.
“But in addition, the sale of goods for these 8 billion dollars means loading the railway, loading the ports, paying tens of billions of hryvnias in taxes, etc. That is, by the multiplier effect, it will create a huge boost to the entire economy! Therefore, this year, I think, the most important task of our foreign economic bloc is to convince our partners that the export of other civilian goods, except for agricultural goods, is an equally important humanitarian issue for Ukraine and for the whole world, so there is great hope that in there will be shifts in this direction,” Kalenkov summarized.
Earlier, First Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yuliya Svyridenko stated that Ukraine seeks to expand an important international agreement on the export of grain through sea ports, including the possibility of steel shipment. This will support the economy of the country affected by the Russian war and significantly increase GDP growth.
Earlier, the president of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce ICC Ukraine, Volodymyr Shchelkunov, said that it is necessary to achieve the unblocking of sea ports and the expansion of the export nomenclature to all types of products produced in Ukraine. This will provide our country with an income of at least $20 billion per year and a significant increase in GDP. In addition, it will help Ukrainian industries to restore and increase production.
