The cancellation of the tender for the privatization of OPP is a direct consequence of procedural barriers that prevented investors from submitting bids

The tender announced by the State Property Fund for the privatization of the Odesa Port Plant did not take place due to a lack of participants. This outcome came as no surprise to AGT: the company was one of the first to submit an application and fulfilled all formal requirements, but instead of a regulated procedure, it encountered an opaque combination of technical and legal barriers that made it impossible to complete the application process.

In fact, AGT did not receive access to the information package and was unable to pass even the basic technical stages. In this situation, the “lack of applications” is not a cause but a direct consequence of obstacles that prevented bona fide investors from even reaching the starting line.

It is impossible to expect a competitive auction where potential participants are stopped at the first step — access to documentation.

The Odessa Port Plant is one of Ukraine's key mineral fertilizer producers, whose stable operation directly affects the agricultural sector. Urea and ammonia are the basis for fertilizer production, which determines the yield and competitiveness of the Ukrainian agro-industrial complex in both domestic and global markets. The full operation of the enterprise means jobs, the development of processing, and additional revenues to the budget.

Such an asset cannot be “put on hold”: prolonged delays and repeated privatization failures only exacerbate infrastructure degradation and harm a sector that is critically important for Ukraine, especially in the post-war period.

Attempts to privatize Odesa Port Plant have been ongoing for many years, but none have been brought to completion. The reasons for the failures varied — from inflated starting prices and debt disputes to the lack of transparent procedures and technical restrictions that investors could not overcome. The last official tender with fixed conditions took place in 2016 — and was canceled due to a lack of participants after an excessive starting price was set.

The fact that the auction did not take place again does not indicate a lack of interest in the asset. It means that even with potential investors, the process is organized in such a way that it is technically impossible to complete it.

If the state wants real competition and investment in strategic assets, the procedure must be predictable and accessible. Unified technical requirements, clear regulations, avoidance of the human factor, and control over the operation of electronic platforms are the minimum conditions that allow participants to go through the procedure from submission to auction without artificial obstacles.

Canceling the tender is an opportunity to review the process and correct systemic flaws so that the next privatization attempt takes place under conditions that do not scare away investors.

AGT confirms its readiness to participate in the privatization of Odesa Port Plant on equal terms and expects that the updated procedures will prevent a repeat of the current situation, which has a negative impact on the investment climate in Ukraine.