Ukraine has strategically advantageous location in the Eastern Europe, which opens an easy access to the neighboring countries of the region. Thus, the country had an experience of palm oil re-export to the numerous countries of Eastern Europe and middle Asia such as Russia, Belarus, Romania, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, etc. However, some obstacles regarding the “country of origin” issue reduced the export flow to Russia. Further exports dropped when Taman sea port with bulk facilities was launched in Russia.Nevertheless, the country keeps its potential and owes good facilities and conditions for palm oil re-export.

Of all countries of Eastern Europe who has access to the Black Sea Ukraine has the second biggest imports volume of palm oil after Russia. Counties’ export potential is stipulated by strong agricultural background - Ukraine is the largest world’s exporter of sunflower - that’s why its sea ports are fully adopted for edible oils transshipment and storage. Thus, Ukraine owns 4 large ports on the Black Sea and each is equipped to handle vegetable oils cargoes. Delta Wilmar CIS’s oil handling and processing complex is operating in port Yuzhniy to handle vegetable oil cargoes. Sea port of Chornomorsk has Specialized Complex for Storage and Handling of Liquid Vegetable Oil. The throughput capacity of the complex amounts to 1.5 million tons of vegetable oils per year. Ports of Bulgaria, Romania or Georgia and even Russia are yet to be able to perform such transshipment capacity of edible oils as Ukraine.

For instance, Bulgaria diversifies imports and partially supplies from Netherlands, Germany or Greece. Compared to Germany or Netherlands, Ukraine has much faster proximity in terms of railways or FTL delivery of tropical oils to such land countries of Eastern Europe as Belorussia, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary, which makes delivery tangibly cheaper.