Unlocking the Mykolaiv port hub would allow logistics costs for grain and oilseed exports to be reduced by at least $5 per ton, said CEO of LLC JV NIBULON (Mykolaiv), Andriy Vadaturskyi, during a meeting of the strategic advisory group at the “Security Architecture” forum in Kyiv.
He emphasized that maritime security today is a basic condition for the functioning of the Ukrainian economy.
“About 90% of Ukrainian exports depend on maritime logistics, so control over sea routes is not only a matter of defense, but also a direct condition for the functioning of the economy. The key practical solution the company sees is the unblocking of the Mykolaiv port hub,” Vadaturskyi was quoted as saying by the grain trader’s press service.
The head of NIBULON reminded that before the full-scale invasion, the annual cargo turnover of Mykolaiv ports exceeded 30 million tons. At present, restoring the operation of this direction is critical for maintaining economic activity and rebuilding infrastructure.
The meeting of the group was held at the initiative of Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The format provides for coordination between the state, international partners, and large business around solutions that ensure governance stability and preserve human potential in wartime conditions.
Before the war, NIBULON cultivated 82,000 hectares of land in 12 regions of Ukraine and exported agricultural products to more than 70 countries worldwide. In 2021, the grain trader exported a record 5.64 million tons of agricultural products in its history. After the start of the war, the company was forced to move its headquarters from Mykolaiv to Kyiv. In addition to 23 elevator complexes, NIBULON has its own road and rail transport capacity, as well as a fleet built at its own shipyard. During wartime, this fleet continues to carry out river transportation.
The company is also actively developing its own humanitarian demining unit to restore safety on leased lands and assist Ukraine’s agricultural sector. NIBULON is a certified operator of mine action activities.
