Russia's military aggression against Ukraine has severed a number of logistical ties. Poland is ready to become a new gateway for Ukrainian exporters, shippers, and freight forwarders. To this end, IntermodalNews, the Administration of the Port of Gdańsk, and the City of Lviv jointly organized a special event Intermodal in Poland, which took place on May 26-27 in Gdańsk. The Poland-Ukraine Business Meeting was called upon to facilitate the establishment of business contacts between Polish and Ukrainian partners to organize the export of goods from Ukraine and the import of materials and equipment necessary for the reconstruction of Ukrainian infrastructure and economy.

Representatives of government circles of Ukraine and Poland and the administration of the port of Gdansk, Polish and Ukrainian railways, transshipment terminals, transport companies, freight forwarders, importers, executive authorities, customs local governments and other agencies joined.

The meeting included a study visit to the Port of Gdańsk, the largest logistics center in the South Baltic region and plays a key role in ensuring the continuity of supply chains.

Thus, the conference stressed significant prospects for the development of agricultural exports by rail, especially given that transportation to and from Russia is limited, which means that carriers have free rolling stock.

Issues related to the improvement of customs services were also considered, as today, there is a problem of long-term control at checkpoints due to a significant increase in the number of freight traffic across the Polish-Ukrainian border. Therefore, Poland is already working to speed up customs services, and veterinary and phytosanitary paperwork.

In addition, the conference participants discussed the mobilization of the logistics industry, in particular the creation of new transport links for the transportation of goods.

Ukraine is also working with its Polish partners to redirect some cargo that went through Ukrainian ports, through sea terminals in Gdansk and Constanta.

In general, close and coordinated cooperation between carriers, terminal operators, border services, and ports will double the potential of cross-border infrastructure.

"Ukraine thanks Poland for its help in resolving many of the challenges posed by the Russian invasion. And solving the logistics problem remains our priority. We are actively working to provide new transport routes for the delivery of Ukrainian agricultural products to Polish seaports in Gdynia, Gdansk and Swinoujscie, to send grain from there to our traditional importers," - Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, told about the results of the meeting.

It will be recalled that earlier the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solsky and the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Henrik Kovalchuk signed a joint agreement on simplifying the export of Ukrainian grain. In particular, Poland is reviewing the requirements for veterinary control of transit cargoes of grain from Ukraine. The possibility of ensuring the transit of grain at the border inspection posts Verkhrat - Rava Ruska, Medika - Shegini, Krostenko - Smilnytsia is considered. The number of Polish veterinary inspectors at designated border inspection posts has increased to 19. The work of Polish inspectors at the busiest points has been transferred to 24/7 mode.