LAHORE: The Government of Ukraine has invited Pakistani investors to participate in the upcoming privatization auction of the Odesa Portside Plant (OPP), one of Ukraine’s largest fertilizer and transshipment enterprises, offering a 99.567 per cent block of shares through a transparent electronic auction scheduled for November 25, 2025.
According to an official communication issued by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, the proposal was conveyed through the Embassy of Ukraine and circulated to leading business bodies across Pakistan, including the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sarhad, and Quetta Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
The Ukrainian Embassy in its note verbale stated that the initiative is part of a large-scale and transparent privatization programme being implemented by the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine with the backing of the Ukrainian government. The programme aims to attract foreign investment through open and competitive bidding processes, following recent legislative reforms that facilitate international participation in state asset sales.
The Odesa Portside Plant, located in Pivdenne city, Odesa region, is a key industrial and export hub with major production and handling capacity for ammonia, urea, and methanol, much of which is shipped to over 30 countries. Its facilities include two ammonia production units with an annual capacity of 550,000 tons each, two urea production units of 430,000 tons each, and large-scale transshipment and storage complexes linked directly to deep-sea berths capable of handling Panamax-class vessels.
The plant spans over 320 hectares of land, employs around 1,436 workers, and operates a fleet of 369 vehicles and specialized equipment. Despite its strategic location and industrial capacity, the enterprise has faced prolonged financial stress, reporting losses exceeding UAH6.6bn in 2024 and maintaining significant arrears and payables as of mid-2025.