The European Business Association has asked the Ukrainian government to restore a preferential rent mechanism for state infrastructure in Greater Odesa ports.
The business group submitted its proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers and relevant state agencies on August 28, citing severe operational disruption caused by intensified Russian strikes since July 2026.
Port operators have seen ship arrivals drop to almost zero while facing ongoing maintenance expenses and substantial repair costs from repeated shelling. The association noted that current cargo handling revenues are insufficient to cover these operational costs.
Proposed changes to lease regulations
To ease the financial burden, the association requested amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 634. The proposed changes would reinstate a relief mechanism previously applied during 2022 and 2023.
Under the original framework of Resolution No. 634, port operators could receive full exemptions from rental fees for facilities that were not in actual use during reporting periods. Eligibility required certificates from property balance holders and official approval from the lessor.
The concession was halted for the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi in 2024 after commercial operations resumed under the Ukrainian Corridor shipping initiative. However, rent relief remained active for the blocked ports of Mykolaiv, Olvia, and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.
Broader government economic support measures
Restoring the discount mechanism would help operators maintain port readiness until security conditions stabilize, according to the association. The request follows an earlier appeal on August 18 in which the group urged state authorities to implement urgent support measures, including simplified administrative procedures, improved access to financing, and tax relief.
Ukrainian officials have indicated plans to assist affected businesses through additional financial and regulatory measures. Danylo Hetmantsev, chairman of the parliamentary financial committee of the Verkhovna Rada, stated that the government intends to expand war risk insurance coverage.
In addition, the Ministry of Economy and Environment promised to offer large enterprises access to commercial loans capped at an annual interest rate of 10 percent.
Background on Ukraine's Black Sea ports
The European Business Association is a leading trade organization representing foreign and domestic businesses operating in Ukraine. The ports of Greater Odesa, located on the Black Sea coast in southern Ukraine, serve as primary maritime gateways for the country's agricultural and industrial exports.
