Ukraine has initiated its first public-private partnership project in the port sector since the onset of the full-scale invasion, focusing on the port of Chornomorsk.

The project, marked by the formation of a tender commission under Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, involves collaboration with the IFC, EBRD, and leading consultants to prepare documentation, announce the tender, and select an investor. It encompasses the first and container terminals of Chornomorsk port, featuring six deep-water berths and associated infrastructure, which will remain state-owned. At the same time, the investor handles modernization and management under a transparent, long-term agreement. The project is expected to attract hundreds of millions of dollars for berth and equipment upgrades, generate over US$1.1 billion in state and local budget revenues over 40 years, create more than 1,000 jobs, and restore container traffic to 250,000 TEU annually within three years, with potential to reach pre-war levels of over 500,000 TEU. Over 40 international port operators and investors have already expressed interest, promising competitive terms for Ukraine. Additionally, in July 2025, the state-owned “Black Sea Commercial Port” resumed handling imported steel billets for the first time in a decade, enhancing cargo diversity and operational resilience amid the ongoing conflict.