As Russia threatens ships in the Black Sea, the ‘Sulina Channel’ in Romania provides a lifeline for Ukraine’s grain exports.
Sulina Canal
- The Sulina Channel is located in Romania’s southeastern area, specifically in the Danube Delta region.
- It connects one of Europe’s major rivers, the Danube, to the Black Sea, offering a direct route for maritime transportation.
- The channel is approximately 64 kilometres long, making it an important shipping and navigation route.
- It is an important trade route for cargo ships, commercial ships, and other maritime traffic entering and exiting the Black Sea region.
- The Sulina Channel was built in the nineteenth century to assist the navigation of large ships and boats into and out of the Danube Delta.
Importance for Ukraine
- The Sulina waterway, the Danube’s only deep and wide waterway, serves as a vital “riverine motorway” for carrying products from inland Ukrainian ports to the Black Sea.
- Ukrainian grain ships go on the Chilia Channel from Izmail and Reni to Sulina, where the cargo is transferred to larger vessels.
- These ships then travel to Constanta, Romania’s main seaport, for onward transfer into the Mediterranean.
- This route is under NATO’s monitoring and protection, providing some protection against Russian aggression.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/the-importance-of-the-sulina-channel-to-ukraine-grain-trade-8895778/