Ingulskyj

The 'Ingulsky' , which was damaged in July while working in the Bystryi estuary, was successfully raised from the bottom of the canal. The vessel has been sent to a shipyard for a technical inspection, which had to determine the scope and procedure for the repair works. The vessel was half-submerged, but it was decided to restore it and use it again.

From Aug 6, the Ukraine officially has restored trhe passage through the Bystre Canal for vessels with a draft of up to 4.5 m., about two weeks after the 'Ingulskyj', with 11 people on board, exploded on the evening of July 23, during scheduled work at the mouth of the Danube. Three employees of the Sea Ports Administration of Ukraine died as a result of the explosion. Other crew members were injured and hospitalized. This decision opens up new opportunities for shipowners who previously faced restrictions due to the temporary closure of the canal. During the closure of the Bystre Canal, many shipowners were forced to increase their freight rates to compensate for the additional costs. However, the prices offered by the carriers turned out to be unacceptable to charterers. After the resumption of the Bystre Canal, market participants predict a partial revival of freight traffic on the Danube due to more balanced conditions for negotiations between sellers and buyers.

On the night of July 23, the 'Ingulsky' , wiht 11 crew members on board, struck a naval mine during routine dredging works on the Danube near Vilkovo in the Bystre estuary in the Odesa delta region. The mine exploded and caused the ship to sink in the one of the canal, linking the Danube to the Black Sea. The explosion killed three crew members and injured eight more. The injured crew were taken to hospital for treatment. The Danube remained navigable in the area with the southern Sulin Channel open to ship traffic, which is also linking to the Danube. The Bystre has been open to commercial vessels after Ukraine liberated Snake Island from Russian control. The Ukrainian authorities started investigating the incident.