According to the Ministry’s press-center, the navigation along the Dnipro started at 8:00 a.m.: on February 16 – from Kherson to Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (Kakhovka Lock), on February 17 – from Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant to Dnipro hydroelectric power plant, and on February 18 – from Dnipro hydroelectric power plant to Dniprodzerzhynsk hydroelectric power plant.  
On March 10-11, the navigation will be opened on the areas from Dniprodzerzhynsk hydroelectric power plant to Kremenchuk hydroelectric power plant and from Kremenchuk hydroelectric power plant to Kaniv hydroelectric power plant, on March 16 – on the area from Kaniv hydroelectric power plant to Kyiv hydroelectric power plant.
According to specialists from the Ukrainian Meteorological Center, weather conditions will be favourable. The State Transport Safety Service of Ukraine issued a corresponding order dated 12.02.2016 No.36 to open navigation along the Dnipro. This step was made at request of domestic shipping companies in order to expand logistics capabilities of carriers and to reduce traffic load on the Ukrainian highways.
During the internavigational period, NIBULON’s shipping company maintained its fleet consisting of 31 non-self-propelled vessels (NBL-90, NBL-91 and BN projects), 6 tugs (POSS-115 project), 3 tugs (121 project), 3 purchased tugs, St. Mykolai self-propelled floating crane, Watermaster Classic IV dredger (Finland), Terex Fuchs MHL 385 D loading machine. NIBULON shipbuilding and repair yard performed repair works.
The company also inspected whether its vessels and crews comply with a safety management system and quality management system. NIBULON performed retraining, re-attestation and refresher training of fleet’s navigators.
All the masters and senior masters working at the company’s transshipment terminals also underwent regular training to operate NIBULON’s non-self-propelled vessels skillfully and efficiently.
Since 2016 all NIBULON’s navigators (one of the first in Ukraine) received updated diploma according to the requirements of the Order of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine dated 07.10.2014 No.490. They underwent theoretical training in the training center of Hetman Petro Konashevych-Sagaidachnyy Kyiv State Water Transport Academy. NIBULON is a constant partner of the given educational institution. Its students regularly undergo practical training on board NIBULON’s vessels.
On February 15, 2016, the day before the opening of navigation, the company’s tugs NIBULON-5 and NIBULON-6 had their first cargo trips in this navigation period. Thus, on February 16, both tugs were the first in 2016 to enter inland waterways of Ukraine and to pass through a lock.
The early opening of navigation and, thus, an increase in carriage on inland waterways will reduce traffic load on Ukrainian highways.
Thus, for example, in 2014/15 MY, NIBULON transported 1.4 million tons of cargo by water, demonstrating the best result, and removed more than 46 thousand trucks from roads.
Upon completion of the implementation of NIBULON’s investment program, the volume of cargo transportation will be up to 3 million tons of grain annually, which represents the same figure as could be carried by about 46 thousand railcars or about 100 thousand trucks per year.  
According to the River Information Service of Inland Waterways of Ukraine, during the 2015 navigation period the number of cargo trips along the Dnipro increased up to 6,280 vessels as against the same period in 2014. In 2014/15 MY, NIBULON’s fleet made 180 cargo trips (the record figure).
NIBULON continues dredging separate areas of the Southern Bug. The improvement of navigable waterways will enable to use the Southern Bug potential, loading vessels to the design draught.