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and another four were drilled in fields that are 45-55 years old. At the same time, the company GTS Operator of Ukraine concluded 25 new contracts with foreign gas traders to provide gas transportation services for the current season (April-September). In total, contracts for transporting and storing gas in Ukraine have been concluded with 130 foreign clients. 40 foreign traders actively use the short-haul service and transport gas for storage in Ukraine. "The situation in the European gas market creates a need for additional storage facilities. And this need can and should be covered by Ukraine, which provides its international partners with reliable services at very competitive prices," said General Director of OGTSU Dmytro Lippa.
9.1.3 Transport sector news
● Trains
Ukrainian Railways will update its commercial and passenger rolling stock. Active negotiations with manufacturers are already underway today, Oleksandra Vasylenko, director of international representative offices of UZ, reported. "In the conditions of increasing demand for railway transportation and in connection with certain limitations of our transport system, we must provide the fastest and most maneuverable fleet of locomotives. We are currently considering the supply of locomotives and cooperation with the Czech Republic, the US, and France. These proposals are currently on the table," said Vasylenko. She emphasized that the company will reach a decision on the renewal of its locomotive acquisition, considering competitive offers. UZ plans to add to its stock with approximately 10 passenger trains of six cars each. Separately, Vasylenko emphasized that Ukrzaliznytsia cooperates with Ukrainian enterprises in renewal matters for both commercial rolling stock (wagons, hoppers, grain trucks) and passenger.
● Ships
Half of the ships that were trapped in Ukraine have left the seaports. As of September 26, of the 100 vessels that were unable to leave Ukrainian ports after February 24, 2022, 50 vessels remain: 29 of them are in the ports of the Mykolaiv region, 14 are in Kherson, and five are in Mariupol, the Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies reports. It is confirmed that two sea vessels out of the 41 that have been trapped since the war began remain in the ports of Odesa for various reasons. Out of the remaining 50 trapped ships, 15 belong to shipowners from EU countries (Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Denmark), 14 to shipowners from Turkey, and eight from Ukraine. Other shipowners whose vessels are stuck in Ukrainian ports include companies from Norway, China, Great Britain, Montenegro, Bangladesh, the Marshall Islands, Lebanon, Egypt, and Singapore. The EMMAKRIS III bulk carrier, which was detained in July 2022 at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office as part of the investigation into its Russian owner, remains in the Chornomorsk port.
9.1.4 Construction & Real estate sector news
Since the opening of the land market in Ukraine, more than 365,000 hectares have been sold. According to Opendatabot, 203,000 hectares were sold in the first eight months of the market's operation before the full-scale invasion began. A drop in activity was recorded in the last few months of 2023.
75 UKRAINE Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com