Construction of the Deep-Water Fairway Danube – Black Sea in the Ukrainian Part of the Danube Delta

Closed

NEED AND ADDED VALUE FOR THE DANUBE REGION STRATEGY: According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the part of the river Danube from 0 to 116 km of Chilia branch where Danube-Black Sea Deep-Water Navigation Route (DBSDWNR) was defined as a category E80-09 waterway with a planned fairway depth of 7.2 metres. «The blue book» was developed under the AGN – European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (Decree of the President of Ukraine from 28.09.2009 №767/2009 on the “accession of Ukraine to the European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (СМВП/AGN)”). Navigation resumption on the Ukrainian part of the Danube waterway may become one of the most effective measures of the Euro-Integration course, announced by Ukraine. Full development of the DWF with the Bystroe mouth opens up possibilities for unbounded expansion of logistic schemes of cargo flows on East – West direction. OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE PROJECT: Provision of appropriate navigation conditions on the Ukrainian stretch of the TEN-T Rhine-Danube Corridor within the Danube – Black Sea area through the Kilijske, Starostambulske and Bistre arms of the Danube river. By order of the Ministry of Transport and Communication of Ukraine, the SE “Delta–Lotsman” acts as a customer of the design and construction work of the project on the DWF Danube – Black sea through the Bystroe mouth. The main advantage of the DWF Danube – Black Sea, besides the competitive tariffs, is an ability for two-way vessels traffic round-the-clock for a full year. Vessel traffic safety control system meets the European Union standards and other international norms. This will: - Prevent further artificial hydrologic alteration of the Danube river in the Ukrainian part of its delta. - Enhance economic and political security of the state. - Solve social – economic problems and develop depressed areas of the Odessa region (Ukrainian Lower Danube region includes Ismail, Kiliya, Reni, Bolgrad districts of the Odessa region). - Create conditions for modernization and construction of transport infrastructure objects on the DWF route (ship repairing facilities, ship’s supplies, tourism and other). - Diversify transport routes within the TEN-T Corridor. CONDUCTED AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES: Dredging activities in some areas (shoals) of the Danube river (Kilijske, Starostambulske and Bistre arms) as well as at the marine approach channel. Construction of hydraulic structures at local areas of the Starostambulske and Bistre arms. Initially, the project was planned in two stages: «Creation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian site of the delta. 1st phase» «Creation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian site of the delta. Full development» The main difference between the 1st phase project and the full development project is the difference in the vessel draught (5.85 m and 7.20 m respectively). Construction works for the 1st phase («Creation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian site of the delta. 1st phase») started in May 2004 and continued until May 2005 (with the breaks at the period of storms and fish spawning). During the time of construction – in August 2004 – the DWF was opened for navigation with vessels with a draught of no more than 5.0 m. At this period of temporary operation over 700 vessels were piloted through the fairway. Characteristics of the waterway after the 1st phase: draft 5.85 m; canal width 85 m. The state examination for the «Creation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian site of the delta. Full development» project was completed during November – December 2004, as well as the positive experts’ conclusions of all related expertise, except the environmental issue. The State Ecological assessment of the project was conducted from August 2004 to April 2006, which became a reason for delay in preparation of the project for approval. In June 2005 construction works were stopped, in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry for Environmental Protection of Ukraine, taking into consideration the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommendations and environmental NGOs requests. Although the prohibition of the Ministry for Environmental Protection of Ukraine was retracted in July 2005, the construction works of the 1st phase of DWF were not resumed. Due to this suspension of construction works as well as a long spring – summer high water flood and three extremely strong rain floods in July – September 2005, the unfinished fairway was silted and navigation became impossible. Several Ukrainian institutions took part in the process of project finalizing, taking into consideration the remarks of environmental NGOs. The finalized and submitted working draft specified the following activities: - Elimination of the marine approach canal silting and the cuts at sand bars (force majéur circumstances); - Completion of 1st phase of fairway construction; - Construction of the fairway on full development after the completion of the 1st phase or simultaneously with it; - Recalculation of the estimates at the prices as of May 1st, 2006 taking into consideration the cost of performed work; - The navigation renewal on the fairway immediately after settlement of force majéur circumstances. In November 2007 Ukraine made the final decision on the implementation of the project «Creation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian site of the delta. Full development». In 2008, within the implementation of the Ukrainian DWF renewal project, the marine approach channel was completed and the draft of 5.85 m projected for the 1st phase was achieved in the marine approach channel for the first time since the DWF was opened in 2004. In 2008 the marine approach canal was commissioned as completed hydraulic structure with the characteristics of the 1st phase. The channel was opened again for navigation with vessel with a draught of no more than 4.5m. Furthermore, a levee (breakwater) was constructed which ought to protect the canal from drifts during the northern and north-eastern storms, from dulling of slopes by waves and to provide safe entry of vessels into the canal from the sea at strong winds which dominate during the fall-winter period. TRANSBOUNDAY IMPACT: Works in the specified section of the Danube river, namely deepening of the river in order to provide navigation parameters, are works in border waters which, according to the Agreement between the Governments of Ukraine and Romania on the Romanian-Ukrainian State Border’s Regime, Collaboration and Mutual Assistance in Border Issues (signed in 2003) and the Agreement on cooperation in the field of water management at the border waters (1997), should be agreed with the Romanian side. As a result of integrated environmental monitoring during the initial stage of construction and operation of the DWF Danube – Black Sea the transboundary environmental impact was not determined. The main argument is the failure by Ukraine to comply fully with the requirements of the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) on the DNC ‘Danube – Black Sea’. A “Roadmap for bringing the DNC Danube – Black Sea on the Ukrainian section of the delta in full compliance with the Espoo Convention“ was elaborated. Monitoring studies indicate that there is no significant transboundary impact. PROJECT BENEFICIARIES / TARGET GROUPS: - waterway users / shipping sector, - Ukraine (social-economic benefits).

Medium