Round Table Grain Export through the Ports of Ukraine

Interlegal acted as co-organizer of the Round Table Grain Export through the Ports of Ukraine which took place on the 11th of September 2013 at the conference hall of the Mozart Hotel. Second time Interlegal has been holding jointly with APK-Inform the event for all members of export grain market: traders, logisticians, carriers.

The main topics for discussions were: grain market prospects and peculiarities of export trade in the season 2013/14; Ukrainian grain market infrastructure and its impact on grain complex development; problematic issues at different stages of grain transportation; problems of agricultural cargo certification; correspondence of quality and price of the Ukrainian grain.

Like last year, experts from Interlegal prepared the session Transport infrastructure in grain export: accents in 2013 moderated by Artem Skorobogatov, associated partner of Interlegal. During the session the lecturers talked about prospects of grain production in Ukraine and readiness of infrastructure to the future harvest, about the opportunities of the Ukrainian logistics regarding grain transportation, forwarding and handling, about risks and settlement of claims in export deals and about grain cargo insurance.

The lecturers were asked a lot of questions, the participants expressed actively their own points of view and debated with the lecturers. Such activity of the audience was caused not only by the increased attention of the state to the issues of grain cargo infrastructure and logistics in 2013. In the process of discussing the reports there were named certain issues and proposals aimed to raise competitive ability of Ukraine at the global grain – one of the major concerns of all participants of Round Table.

The major problem stated both by representatives of agricultural export business and  state representatives is the lack of the effective long-term state program for developing the grain cargo export infrastructure. Adverse effect of such factor has been increasing each new export season. The business enterprises are ready to invest in agricultural business and infrastructure of Ukraine but there shall be necessary transparent, stable and reliable protective mechanisms guaranteed by the state for the long-term period. Otherwise we will still have long debates upon the issues whether the grain trucks may be allowed to destroy the Ukrainian roads, how to transport grain without grain cars and who is the Lord of the Dnieper without whose permission the business is not allowed to make the Dnieper, having been navigable in past, navigable in future at its own account…   

 The report of Nataliya Myroshnychenko, the associated partner of Interlegal, caused large discussion in the section of Transport Infrastructure. During the report she analyzed the issues of responsibility of the sales agreement parties under the terms of CPT и FOB: From CPT to FOB: risks and settlement of claims. The audience discussed actively the report theses, including as an example of real situations the Round Table participants shared with each other.  

The Round Table Grain Export through the Ports of Ukraine has been held for the second time and has been considered by the grain market members as the traditional event which takes place in Odessa and brings exporters and carriers together to discuss the urgent problems and finally find decisions necessary for the business.