The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine intends to build and modernize 15 deep-water berths over the next five years, as well as overhaul flood gates.

This is stated in the government program, posted on the website of the Verkhovna Rada on Monday.

"The main attention will be paid to creating conditions for the efficient functioning of sea and river transport enterprises and port facilities (the construction and modernization of at least 15 deep-water berths with a permissible draft of 15 meters or more, the overhaul of flood gates)," the document says.

In addition, the government plans in five years to increase the number of passengers transported by water, to at least double (from 19,100 to 38,000), as well as the volume of cargo transportation, by 10% by sea (from 135 million tonnes to 148.5 million tonnes), and double carriage on inland waterways (from 10 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes).

As reported, in 2018 the seaports of Ukraine handled more than 135 million tonnes of cargo, which is 2.4 million tonnes more than in 2017.