ODESSA, FEBRUARY 25th, 2015, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE — Yuzhny Port had handled more than 40% of the total transshipped coal of country's ports in 2014, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The press service of the Administration of the Ports of Ukraine noted today, 25 February.

According to the information, coal exports in the sea ports of Ukraine has decreased by more than 20%, while imports grew by more than 17% over 2014. So, in 2014 Ukraine imported coal and anthracite totaling USD 1.773 billion. The largest suppliers of coal to Ukraine in 2014 were Russia, the US and Kazakhstan. Coal imports from Russia in 2014 in monetary terms amounted to USD 1.138 billion, from US — USD 0.324 billion, from Kazakhstan – USD 0.1 billion. From other countries – USD 0.211 billion.

In Ukraine, for the 2014 coal production compared with the previous year decreased by 22.3%. Due to the loss of the region, which produces coal, Ukraine has to buy fuel abroad.

The tendency promises to get worse because of the situation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, where it is concentrated 86% of total production. The temporarily occupied territory in the Donetsk region stopped 70% of mines, the main reason for this — the lack of electricity, flooding and damage to railway tracks due to bombings and attacks by militants. So, at this point in Ukraine is not working 56 mines and 45 are in passive mode. To date, the state has no funds for the maintenance and restoration of the mines (the decision to close 56 existing mines).

Because of the overall situation with the work of Ukrainian mines has been a shortage of thermal coal for thermal power plants, which will ensure the growth of imports during the year. So far, the main exporter of coal in Ukraine is Russia and the CIS countries, but energy imports from Russia during the past year declined.

Thus, last year Yuzhny Port handled 5 million 157 thousand 30 tons of coal, accounting for 41% of the total cargoes handled all the ports of the country.

Izmail Port handled 1 million 441 thousand 900 tons of coal, accounting for 12% of total trans-shipment; Ilyichivsk Port handled 486 thousand 700 tons — 4%.