Odesa Port-Side Plant Silent on Restart Proposal, Raising Questions About Its Future

The Stalled State of the Odesa Port-Side Plant

According to ХВИЛЯ: The Odesa Port-Side Plant (OPZ) has failed to respond to a proposal from the company Agro Gas Trading (AGT) to restart operations under a tolling agreement. AGT made the offer to the plant's management in late 2025, following the cancellation of a privatization tender that was scheduled for November of that year. AGT had hoped to resume its partnership with the plant, having previously collaborated under a similar contract from 2019 to 2021. During that period, AGT supplied over 1.4 billion cubic meters of gas and received nearly 2 million tons of finished products, including urea and ammonia. The plant's silence is a significant setback for Ukraine's industrial sector, which has been seeking stability and investment.

Current Status and AGT's Future Plans

Currently, the OPZ is idle and not engaged in its core production activities. Instead, its facilities are being used as a transshipment hub for grain cargoes. Meanwhile, AGT plans to participate in a new privatization tender for the OPZ in 2026. According to available information, the plant's starting price at the previous auction was set at 4.5 billion UAH, and the total payments made by AGT to the OPZ during their past cooperation also amounted to 4.5 billion UAH.

Oleksandr Horbunenko, a representative of AGT, stated: 'When we learned that the privatization tender for the OPZ [in November 2025] did not take place, we decided to see it through and find a way to realize our intentions and initiatives. We proposed that the OPZ restart under the previous model we worked with-the tolling scheme. Unfortunately, over two months, we have not received any information confirming the OPZ's interest in working.'

The continued lack of a response from the OPZ casts serious doubt on the possibility of renewed cooperation between the two companies. Given that the plant is not functioning in its usual capacity and its assets are being repurposed, this may indicate a complex financial situation for the facility. AGT's potential participation in the plant's privatization in 2026 could be a pivotal moment for the OPZ's future, but the ongoing uncertainty regarding its condition and management remains a major obstacle to any revival.