"Uncleared cargoes can lock the operations at the port. There is not enough room for unloading of containers now, only just for another ship and that’s all. This is due to the fact that the customs office in recent days has practically ceased screening and clearance of containers," said the head of the port.
The same situation at Ilyichevsk port, which is also located within the area of Southern Customs, the newspaper said.
Container throughput at Ukraine ports in Jan-Aug, 2010 amounted to 407,593 TEUs. In particular, the Odessa port handled 216,743 TEUs (a 38-percent increase), Ilyichevsk port – 86,187 TEUs (+18%) and the Port of Mariupol – 3,764 TEUs (+31%).