Epicenter Group to build 5M-tonne grain terminal in Ukraine

UKRAINE –  Epicenter Group, which includes Epicenter Agro, is spearheading the development of a new grain terminal at Pivdennyi Port in Ukraine’s Odesa region.

The terminal, designed with an annual handling capacity of 5 million tonnes, is being advanced in partnership with the family of Anatoliy Urbansky, a member of parliament.

Pivdennyi Port, formerly known as Yuzhnyi, is Ukraine’s largest and deepest seaport. Located on the Adzhalyk estuary, it serves as a vital hub for bulk exports, particularly grains and ores, and can accommodate Panamax and larger vessels. Existing facilities include the Neptune terminal, operated in partnership with Cargill, which also handles around 5 million tonnes annually.

The project was first announced in November 2024 by Petro Mykhailyshyn, chief executive officer of Epicenter K, and later confirmed in April 2025 by Svitlana Nikityuk, the group’s head of agribusiness. Once operational, the terminal will strengthen Ukraine’s grain export capabilities at the country’s deepest and one of its most strategic ports on the Black Sea.

The planned complex will cover a 10-hectare site and include 50 silos with a combined storage capacity of 250,000 tonnes. A dedicated rail station is projected to handle up to 3 million tonnes per year, with capacity for five freight trains of 50 to 70 cars daily. Supporting infrastructure will include a railcar unloading station capable of 2,000 tonnes per hour and a truck unloading station rated at 1,000 tonnes per hour.

From the unloading points, grain will be transported via a 1.6-kilometer enclosed conveyor system to the silos and onto a berth under construction. The berth, 350 meters long and 16 meters deep, will accommodate large vessels and be equipped with two tower cranes providing a combined loading capacity of 1,500 tonnes per hour.

Casablanca Shipping Limited (Cyprus), founded by Epicenter K LLC, has acquired a 32.61% stake in Promtekhnovatsiya LLC, which is managing the project. Anatoliy Urbansky retains a 16.48% share, while Kateryna and Denys Urbansky each hold 25.46%. Investment in the facility is estimated at between US$160 million and US$270 million, according to project documents.

Epicenter Group, founded in 2003 as a leading retail operator in Ukraine, has steadily expanded into agribusiness since 2016. Today, it farms 1.67 million hectares across multiple regions, operates 20 livestock farms, and runs 15 elevator complexes with a combined storage capacity of 2 million tonnes. In 2025, the company entered agritrading, strengthening its role in Ukraine’s grain supply chain.

Officials close to the project said construction preparations are advancing, with the launch of the new terminal expected in 2026.

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