ODESSA, JANUARY 15th, 2015, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE — Head of Administration of the Odessa Sea Port Mikhail Sokolov says that there is no way to reduce port charges in Ukraine, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

Mr Sokolov noted yesterday, 15 January, during the press conference.

“We do not plan the expansion of paid services in the port. 50% of the income structure of the Odessa port is port charges. After the reorganization of the port dues rates have not changed. They are really several times higher in Ukraine than in the western ports. But to say that they should be reduced, in my opinion, it is impossible. After all, the western ports are enough financing that allows us to implement large investment projects,” he mentioned.

“In Ukraine, there is no way to reduce port charges, because all the infrastructure projects being implemented in the ports of their own money of the Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine, not getting a penny from the budget. I think that port charges is not the main issue, which makes it difficult to grow the number of ship calls at Ukrainian ports. First — the situation in the country, and then go to other issues: changing laws, reducing corruption, reducing the presence of the human factor, and so on,” he added.