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2018-03-13 16:03:01
In the framework of the implementation of pilot concession projects at the seaports Olvia and Kherson, the Coordination meeting with a consortium of international consultants was held today at the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. The consortium of international consultants were elected by the EBRD to develop feasibility studies and prepare tender documents for both projects. Volodymyr Omelyan, the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine headed the coordination meeting. Representatives of the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority, the project office SP3ILNO, Ukrzaliznytsia, SE SC «Olvia», SE "Kherson Sea Port «, Nadiya Kaznacheyeva, the advisor to the Minister, representatives of the EBRD and IFC international team and experts from the best international companies took part in the meeting. »Today, on March 13, a new phase in the implementation of pilot public-private partnership projects (PPP) in Ukrainian seaport industry starts. The Ministry is glad to announce the official launch of the two pilot PPP projects — in SE «Stevedoring company „Olvia“ and SE „Kherson sea port“, which will open the concession path and, we hope, will benefit to the modernization of the industry. In the coming weeks, a team of experts and consultants will begin the development of feasibility studies for projects. This stage requires special attention. We are convinced that a structured and transparent process that regulates interaction between government and business is important for both sides», — the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine said. Volodymyr Omelyan stressed, that the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine initiated the development of the draft law «On Concessions», which was approved by the Government at the end of 2017 and should to be submitted to the Parliament in March 2018. «Concession projects in the ports of Olvia and Kherson are very important not only for the ports and industry, but for the state too. If these projects will held successfully — this will be an unequivocal success for Ukraine and a signal for foreign investors. And if the projects will fail, then we can forgot about the concession in Ukraine for years»,— the Minister stressed. Forasmuch as the seaports are an important component of Ukraine's transport infrastructure and export potential, the development of port infrastructure by attracting private investments is one of the strategic tasks of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority. "Taking into account an international experience, the concession as a mechanism of public-private partnership is an effective method to attract private investments to the development of port infrastructure. But for Ukraine it is a quite new, and therefore requires detailed elaboration. The preliminary feasibility studies of projects was started at the end of 2016 and today, due to the joint work of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, SP3ILNO office and USPA we proceed to the final preparatory stage of concession project implementation in Olvia and Kherson ", — the head of the USPA Raivis Veckagans noted. The projects envisage attraction of private investments in the amount of up to USD 45 million for the modernization, re-equipment and increasing of the transshipment capacity of the SE "Kherson Sea Port "; attraction of about USD 250 million for the construction of a new terminal and berths in the SE «Olvia». It will increase the capacity of cargo handling, ensure the development of the related infrastructure (railway station, electricity grids, roads), and, as a result, will increase economic activity in the region. With the support of the World Bank and the EBRD in May 2017, the development of preliminary feasibility studies of pilot concession projects was successfully completed, which showed the expedient of further detailed development of feasibility studies. At the end of 2017, a Memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and IFC was signed, as well as an agreement between the State Enterprise «USPA» and the EBRD on further preparation of feasibility studies. In February 2018, the EBRD elected a consortium of international consultants to develop feasibility studies and prepare tender documents for both projects.
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2017-11-28 07:03:49
On November 27, 2017, in London, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the presence of the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Volodymyr Omelyan signed an agreement on financing the development of a feasibility study (FS) for the concession projects of SE "Stevedoring Company «Olvia» and SE «Kherson Commercial Sea Port». According to the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Volodymyr Omelyan, the EBRD undertakes to cover the costs of technical assistance in the organization of these concession projects, as well as the preparation of fair and transparent tenders to attract private investors to transfer into concession two state-owned stevedoring companies. «World companies in Ukraine are not a fantasy and not a ghost. This is the future that we bring closer daily. I am grateful to the EBRD and other international partners who believe that Ukraine is being changed, and we are ready to guarantee fair and transparent rules in the market. I am convinced that great concession projects in Ukrainian ports are a matter of immediate prospects,» stressed Volodymyr Omelyan. «The implementation of concession projects in the maritime industry is a logical continuation of the port reform, launched in 2013. The development of feasibility studies and tender documentation at a high professional level together with leading international financial organizations will guarantee the transparency of the tender and the economic validity of the concession of state stevedores. A successful implementation of pilot projects for the industry will create the basis for a long-term investment in the development of ports on understandable and mutually beneficial terms for both business and the state. Only according to preliminary estimates, the transfer of two state stevedores to the concession will help increase cargo flow by at least 5.5 million tons and attract investments of up to $ 140 million,» said Raivis Veckagans, the Head of the USPA. To recall, on November 14th, 2017, in order to develop public-private partnership (PPP) in the port industry, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. IFC will help to structure PPP projects in two Ukrainian ports – SE "Stevedoring Company «Olvia» and SE «Kherson Sea Commercial Port». IFC will also explore the possibility of structuring a PPP project for the development of a railway ferry complex at the SE “Chornomorsk Commercial Sea Port”. Earlier, in June 2017, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine approved the plans for the preparation and implementation of pilot projects for the transfer into the concession of state property of SE "Stevedore Company «Olvia», SE «Kherson Commercial Sea Port», railway-ferry complex of SE «Chornomorsk Commercial Sea Port» and property of SE «Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority».