OSTCHEM resumes seaborne exports of urea after hiatus of several years
Ukraine has resumed maritime exports of urea, and for the first time in the past seven years, products manufactured by Ukrainian chemical companies were shipped via a maritime route, specifically, a shipment of products manufactured by the OSTCHEM Group was exported via the port of Chornomorsk to international buyers in the Mediterranean region.
It was reported in a statement by Group DF, which includes OSTCHEM, according to the Ukrainian News agency.
The statement notes that the total volume of shipments amounts to approximately 21,000 metric tons, with Italy and Turkey serving as the main export destinations.
It is noted that among the buyers of Ukrainian urea are major international companies, including the American Nitron Group and the South Korean SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION.
The resumption of maritime exports occurred against the backdrop of a gradual stabilization of logistics chains and growing interest from international traders in Ukrainian products.
It is noted that a portion of OSTCHEM’s products also continues to be sold to European industrial consumers via land-based logistics routes.
The company is also in negotiations regarding new export shipments with a number of international traders and industrial consumers.
"For the global market, this represents an additional source of products amid high volatility in supplies and the constant redistribution of trade flows. For Ukrainian producers, it is an opportunity to diversify sales channels and strengthen their presence in foreign markets,” said Kyrylo Demskyi, CEO of Nika-Agrotrade, the company that handled the product exports.
According to Demskyi, this signals to the market that Ukrainian producers are capable not only of meeting market demand but also of fulfilling large export contracts even amid complex logistics and military risks.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in late March, the nitrogen holding company OSTCHEM (part of Group DF) announced that it was launching a new type of nitrogen fertilizer—AMS30 ammonium nitrate—onto the market.
OSTCHEM is Group DF’s nitrogen holding company, which brings together Ukraine’s largest mineral fertilizer producers.
It includes Rivneazot, Cherkasy Azot, as well as Severodonetsk Azot and Stirol (which are currently inactive and located in occupied territories).
In 2025, the plants of the OSTCHEM nitrogen holding produced 1.57 million metric tons of mineral fertilizers.
Group DF is a diversified international group of companies with operations in 11 countries across Europe and Asia.
The group’s main areas of activity are the nitrogen, titanium, and gas businesses.
The founder and owner of Group DF is businessman Dmytro Firtash.