The water transport competitiveness is not discussed in European countries, as water transport is acknowledged as the most efficient and environmentally friendly there. Unfortunately, water transportation is still an unsolved issue in Ukraine as well as the revival of river transport arteries.
In due time, NIBULON has found a way out, having started its investment project to develop agrarian, marine and economic sectors in Ukraine as well as main water arteries.
The above mentioned project provides for the construction of cargo fleet and transport infrastructure to store and transship grain, the reconstruction of locks and improvement of waterway navigable conditions, in particular along the Southern Bug – from Voznesensk town to Mykolayiv city.
At present the transport potential of the Southern Bug, along which many cargoes were transported until now, is practically unused. And this is despite the fact that both Ukraine and Mykolayiv region have a lot of mineral resources (granite, sand, crushed stone, etc.)
The importance of water transportation in the agrarian sector must be increased in order to ensure stable demand for cargo transportation along the Southern Bug.
In order to make water transportation profitable, vessels with a higher cargo capacity and “river-sea” draught should sail along the Southern Bug, thereby ensuring direct cargo trips to the sea ports in Dnipro-Bug region in order to complete the loading of large vessels. The improvement of navigation from Voznesensk to Mykolayiv is an important condition to achieve changes.
On October 16, 2015, the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited NIBULON shipbuilding and repair yard, where he participated in a number of historical events.
In particular, that day he personally gave a start to dredging works on the Southern Bug. NIBULON decided to conduct dredging by its own means.
“These very authorities gave NIBULON a permit to dredge. During Ukraine’s independence, the river’s depth has reduced from 3 m to 1.65 m. NIBULON has obtained 18 permits for 8 years.  Thus, dredging is our historical mission”, noted Oleksiy Vadaturskyy at the shipyard at that time.
At present NIBULON has already started dredging by its own means. The company has started dredging from Sapetnya village (Mykolayiv region), reviving the main waterway in Mykolayiv region.
Theprojectaimstoimprovewater transportation and revivepassengertransportationalongtheSouthernBug.
NIBULONusesitsfloatingfacilities, special-purpose machinery and specialists with the possible involvement of contractors.
The region will have the following advantages: upto 1 milliontonsofgrainandoilcropswillbetransportedalongtheriver, therebyreducingtrafficloadon highways; itisplanned to transport up to 1 million tons of building materials along the river in future; the Southern Bug will attract investors; the cargo transportation price will be reduced and profitability to transport cargoes by water will be increased; traffic load on railway and highways will be reduced; anthropogenic impact on the environment will be reduced; metallurgical works, shipyards and ship repair yards in Ukraine will have workload due to the demand for modern tugs, cargo fleet and transshipment terminals; new workplaces will be created; additional investments will be involved in the agrarian, marine and economic sectors; navigation safety will be ensured.
According to the Article 86 of the Water Code of Ukraine, NIBULON coordinated places of dredging and work sequence with the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine, the State Service for Geology and Subsoil of Ukraine, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, and Mykolayiv Regional State Administration.
People whose villages are located on the banks of the Southern Bug ask not to neglect the shallowing problem. In future the river will become so shallow that navigation can be stopped there, and it will be a great tragedy.
A secretary from Olshanske village council (Mykolayiv region) Yulya Ivanova tells, “Earlier the Southern Bug was completely navigable; people had an opportunity to use river transport; fishery was developed. At present the river has lost its former condition. Thus, dredging will promote the development of not only NIBULON but also settlements located nearby”.
According to Dmytro Danylyuk, the deputy from Olshanske village council, the Southern Bug must be saved and not just cleaned. “I clearly remember when the depths reached even 15-16 m in the 80s, and now – up to 1.8 m. It is possible to wade across the river. Fishery is almost impossible here; sometimes the boat casts aground. The villagers hope for successful dredging made by NIBULON. They hope for the better”.
Thus, the Ukrainian Design and Exploration Institute of River Transport (Ukrrichtransproject) has already developed a working design by NIBULON’s order. The project provides for the improvement of the Southern Bug waterways from Voznesensk to Mykolayiv, using hydromechanization methods.
NIBULON will dredge with its own Watermaster Classic 4 NBC 4006 dredger, involving equipment of contractors.
NIBULON’s head of environmental protection department Alla Izmesteva notes, “In order to improve environmental protection during dredging, NIBULON and contractors will use a number of other preventive measures. In particular, all the works will be performed by floating facilities certified by the ecological inspection bodies; dredging will be performed within the time limits established by nature conservation and fishery conservation agencies. The process of bottom dredging is wet; thus, there will be no dust when transporting and unloading sand; air condition won’t be deteriorated. The dredging will not impact on water quality and damage water resources. The floating facilities will be constantly inspected in order to avoid leakage of fuels and lubricants, thus dredging works will not influence subsoil”.
Oleg Avramenko, a dredge master at NIBULON’s shipping company, says, “Upon completion of dredging, the Southern Bug (from Voznesensk to Mykolayiv) will have navigable characteristics as follows:  the depth of navigable pass on both areas will be increased from 1.85 m and 1.7 m to 2.9 m and 2.65 m respectively; the width of navigable pass – from 35 m to 40 m; the radius of rounding – from 350 m and 400 m to 400 m and 600 m. The length of navigable waterways will comprise 102.2 km.
In addition, dredging will enable NIBULON to revive passenger transportation along this river. Passenger self-propelled vessels (catamaran type) to be constructed at NIBULON shipbuilding and repair yard will mark the revival of passenger transportation along Ukrainian waterways.
It should be noted that the total volume of dredging comprises 1,187,750 m3. The labour intensity is almost 270 thousand men per hour. The total cost is almost UAH 100 million.
The improvement of navigable conditions along the Southern Bug will revive the river and strengthen Ukraine as marine country.