KYIV (Reuters – Ukraine plans to increase export capacity by half in the coming months through the expansion of facilities at its western frontier, although it will be far below prewar levels, according to the deputy infrastructure minister.

Seventy-five percent of Ukraine’s foreign commerce was carried by more than 10 seaports. However, they were shut down after Russian invasion. The country had to use small Danube river ports as well as railway terminals at its western border.

The only route to import and export is through western borders. Yuri Vaskov stated that the Danube port trade volume has already increased by four times.

He stated that 3.5 million tonnes worth of cargo crossed the Western Borders by Rail last month. National railway operators are currently developing border terminals to handle general and liquid cargoes as well as reloading from narrow gauge to wide gauge, and vice versa.

Vaskov stated that all this would lead to a 50% increase in capacity at the west border over the coming months.

He said that even taking all this into consideration, the (larger) capacity will not suffice to transport at least half of those volumes through seaports during peacetime.

Ukraine was a large global grain exporter and grower. However, its imports have dropped sharply from 6 million tonnes to the point of war to just 1 million tonnes.