# Nibulon

NIBULON (Ukrainian: НІБУЛОН) is a Ukrainian agricultural company specializing in production and export of grains such as wheat, barley and corn. It is headquartered in Kyiv. It is the only agricultural company in Ukraine with its own fleet and shipyard.

## History
### 1991 - 2000

In 1991 the joint venture of the Mykolaiv businessman Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, the Hungarian and British firms (KOMBISEED KFT and Meridian Commodities Ltd) is created. The name of the company was formed after the first letters of the cities where the co-founders came from: Mykolaiv - Budapest - London.
In 1998, the agricultural holding for the first time received a direct loan of $ 5 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), becoming the first Ukrainian farmer to receive such financing. The funds were used to expand exports.
Attracting a foreign loan gave impetus to the development of the company. On December 15, 2004, World Bank report (IBRD, one of its divisions) stated that each dollar invested in a NIBULON credit line generated $ 4–5.

### 2001 - 2012

In 2003, NIBULON put into operation the facilities for direct transshipment at its transshipment terminal for grain and oilseeds shipments in Mykolaiv. In August, the company loaded the first D.S.Pioneer vessel (Cyprus) with fodder barley at the terminal. This was the first batch of Ukrainian grain of the 2003 harvest exported to Saudi Arabia. In December, two grain domes with the capacity of 50,000 tons each were put into operation at the terminal.
The company focused on grain exports. In 2004-2005 MY, NIBULON exported 1.3 million tons of grain. In 2008-2009, exports exceeded 4 million tons. In terms of volume, NIBULON became the leader among Ukraine's exporters.
In 2004, NIBULON’s transshipment terminal was acknowledged as Ukraine’s best industrial facility constructed and launched in 2004.
Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, NIBULON’s founder, was awarded the Hero of Ukraine in 2007, the country's highest honour, for his role in the development of Ukrainian agricultural industry.
In 2009, the company had 36 branches in 10 regions of Ukraine and cultivated approximately 70,000 hectares of land on its own.
In 2009, NIBULON began developing its own river transport infrastructure on the Southern Buh and Dnipro. To this end, a shipping company was established. The company signed agreements with the Okean Shipyard for the construction of 24 non-self-propelled dry cargo vessels of mixed (river-sea) navigation for the transportation of general and bulk cargoes. The following year, a contract was signed for the construction of tugs(Okean Shipyard).
In 2012, NIBULON’s CEO Oleksiy Vadaturskyy and the EBRD Country Director for Ukraine André Küüsvek signed a loan agreement for allocation of a syndicated loan of USD 125 million to NIBULON.
By 2013, NIBULON already had a fleet of 36 vessels (including 7 tugs). Additionally, the company had seven river transshipment complexes (six of them are located on the Dnipro river).

### 2013 – present

In 2013, at Santierul Naval Constanta shipyard (Constanta, Romania) there was held a solemn ceremony of the St. Mykolai floating crane christening. The vessel was built by the order of NIBULON, and it was the largest floating transshipment crane in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Basins.
In December 2013, NIBULON started to construct its own fleet, namely POSS-115 project tugs (NIBULON-5 and NIBULON-6) at its own shipbuilding yard.
NIBULON planned to increase the volume of river freight to 1 million tons.
In 2016, the company prepared for the resumption of passenger transportation on the Dnipro and Southern Buh. By November, it repaired and tested two Voskhod hydrofoils (NIBULON Express-1, NIBULON Express-2). That same year the NIBULON Express performed its first trip.
In December 2016, the European Investment Bank and NIBULON signed a EUR 71 million loan agreement to develop and modernize the logistics infrastructure of Ukraine.
In 2017, NIBULON launched scheduled passenger transportation by the routes Voznesensk – Kovalivka – Nova Odesa – Mykolaiv and Nova Kakhovka – Kherson – Hola Prystan, as well as trips to the Kinburn Spit.
In 2017, the company inaugurated its Khortytsia branch (Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia Oblast) with the participation of the then Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. During the inauguration, NIBULON signed a USD 100 million loan agreement with the International Finance Corporation to boost food security.
In 2017 the company announced that it expanded its logistical capabilities after acquiring 60 new tractors.
In 2018 it was announced that the company was involved in a construction project of new deep water seaport in Kherson Oblast, Dnieper-Buh Estuary.
In 2018, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and NIBULON signed a USD 50 million loan agreement to continue the implementation of the national project to revive cargo transportation on the Dnipro and the Southern Buh and to develop grain logistics.
On March 3, 2018, the first 100-m non-self-propelled B5000 project vessel was launched from the reconstructed slipway of NIBULON shipyard.
On June 1, 2018, NIBULON started regular passenger transportation by the route Ochakiv – Kinburn Spit. To perform these trips, the company’s 100-m floating berth was installed in Ochakiv.
In 2019, NIBULON put into operation its new transshipment terminal in Ternivka village (Zaporizhzhia Oblast), making it the third company’s terminal in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
On September 20, 2019, NIBULON officially opened the international TRANS EXPO ODESA-MYKOLAIV 2019 Forum at NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard. An exciting water show with the participation of NIBULON’s entire fleet series was the most enchanting event. The company officially put into operation a 140-m NIBULON MAX river-sea floating vessel, the longest one built for the past 25 years of Ukraine’s independence. It is equipped with two cranes and grain storage of 13,400 m3.
In 2020, NIBULON put into operation its new high-tech Zelenodolska branch transshipment terminal in Marianske village (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast), making it the company's first facility in the region.
On July 1, 2021, a new facility with the organizational and legal form of a limited liability company was established on the basis of the company’s structural division – NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard.
As of 2022, NIBULON's fleet comprised 81 vessels.
In June 2022, the construction of a new river transshipment terminal (Bessarabska branch) began in Izmail, with the completion of the first phase announced in October.
From October 2022 to June 2023, the branch exported the first million tons of grain cargo. In fact, in the conditions of the blockade of Black Sea ports, the branch became the main channel of the company's exports. In the first quarter of 2023, 64% of grain was exported through the Izmail terminal.
In 2022 AP News reported that Oleksiy Vadaturskyi and his wife were killed as a result of a Russian rocket hitting their home.
Andriy Vadaturskyy became NIBULON’s CEO in 2022. He took over after the tragic death of his parents.
In 2023, most part of NIBULON's fleet was blocked in the Mykolaiv port because of Russian invasion.

## Areas of activity

The company has 50 facilities and divisions located in 14 regions of Ukraine and 3 filling stations.

### Trade

The company holds a significant share in the Ukrainian export of most grain and oilseeds (wheat, corn, barley, sunflower, soybeans, rapeseed, sorghum), which are Ukraine's specialties. According to the results of the 2021 calendar year, NIBULON shipped a record 5.64 million tons.
The company's main trading activity is focused on wheat, corn, barley, and sorghum, the majority of which is exported to the EU, the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
NIBULON cooperates with the UN World Food Program (WFP). Thanks to the company Pakistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Mauritania, Yemen and other countries suffering from hunger received high-quality agriproducts.
On December 6, 2017, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and NIBULON, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to focus on improving the efficiency of Egyptian companies involved in grain production, storage and transportation.

### Logistics

NIBULON redirects its cargo flows to water transport. To this end, the shipping company has been operating since 2009. It transports cargoes along the Dnipro and Southern Buh. The company’s modern fleet efficiently transports grain, watermelons and melons, metal, building materials (sand, piles, etc.), coal, as well as oversize cargoes. NIBULON’s shipping company transported more than 25 million tons of cargoes by Ukrainian rivers, thereby removing the equivalent of more than 1 million trucks from Ukrainian highways.
In 2020/21 MY, NIBULON transported about 4.3 million tons of various products, which represented a new yearly record for cargoes transported by Ukrainian inland waterways.
The company's cargo fleet is the youngest in Ukraine and one hundred percent Ukrainian. It consists of 83 units: tugs, non-self-propelled vessels, Mykolaivets self-propelled dredger, NIBULON MAX self-propelled floating crane (P-140 project), St. Mykolai self-propelled floating crane, Nibulonivets and Nibulonivets-2 non-self-propelled floating cranes, NIBULON Express hydrofoils, etc.
After the full-scale invasion began in 2022, unable to use the navigable potential of the Dnipro and Southern Buh, NIBULON relocated some of its vessels to the Danube.
The company has its own wagon fleet and truck fleet.
In 2017, the truck fleet was expanded through the purchase of 60 new Volvo, Mercedes, and Scania trucks. In 2024, the company began updating its truck fleet by acquiring 76 Scania R450 Euro 5 trucks and 64 STAS semi-trailers.
The wagon fleet consists of 3 locomotives and 212 hopper wagons. In 2019, NIBULON purchased 108 hopper wagons to transport grain 19-6869 produced by KARPATY Experimental Mechanical Plant. In 2021, the company purchased 54 wagons. In 2023, the USAID Economic Resilience Activity purchased 50 new hopper wagons for NIBULON.
In 2018-2019, the company built three filling stations to serve its own needs in Kremenchuk (Poltava Oblast), Svatove (Luhansk Oblast), and Khmilnyk (Vinnytsia Oblast).

### Elevators

Over the years of its activity, NIBULON has created a unique grain logistics infrastructure in Ukraine, consisting of transshipment terminals and complexes for grain and oilseeds receipt, storage and shipment, a high-capacity fleet, and production branches throughout Ukraine.
The facilities are located in the areas of large grain production to reduce the distance to transport agricultural commodities from fields to elevators. The total elevator capacity is 2.04 million tons.
In 2009, NIBULON started implementing its investment project to revive the Dnipro and the Southern Buh as transport waterways of Ukraine. As part of the project, the company has built 18 elevator complexes and transshipment terminals across Ukraine. At present, the company’s network consists of 27 transshipment terminals and complexes for grain and oilseeds receipt, storage and shipment.
The capacity of each facility is the following: 5-7.5 thousand tons per day – receipts from road transport; 2-3 thousand tons per day – drying volumes; 4-8 thousand tons per day – water transportation shipments; 4 thousand tons per day – rail transport shipments; 56 thousand tons per day – the total capacity of the company’s facilities for drying corn.
The transshipment terminal for grain and oilseeds shipments in Mykolaiv is unique not only in Ukraine but also in Europe. The transshipment terminal was acknowledged as Ukraine’s best industrial facility constructed and put into operation in 2004. In June 2008, the team headed by Oleksiy Vadaturskyy received the State Prize of Ukraine in the Field of Architecture under the Ukraine President’s Decree No. 569/2008 entitled “The Award of the State Prizes of Ukraine in Architecture of 2008”.
The terminal has modern complexes to receive, ship, dry, and to treat grain, plus a warehouse of floor storage with active ventilation and a capacity of up to 8 thousand tons. NIBULON can also receive different quality agricultural commodities and improve them to export standards, thereby ensuring that cargoes exported are guaranteed to meet world quality standards.

### Agricultural production

NIBULON cultivates more than 76 thousand hectares of agricultural land. At present, four clusters in six regions of Ukraine are involved in agricultural production.
In 2021, a gross harvest comprised 334 thousand tons. The highlights of the 2021 season were a record yield of winter crops of 46.2 dt/ha and the best sunflower yield of 51.1 thousand tons.
In 2018, NIBULON’s agricultural machinery fleet received almost one hundred units of new machinery, including twenty-two Belarusian MTZ 952.3 tractors, ten new John Deere and Case harvesters, six Tiger-Mate II cultivators, three Kinze 3000 seeding machines, ten Fendt 1038 VARIO tractors, one Lemken Rubin 9-600 disc harrow, two Lemken Rubin 10S800 disc harrows, and other machines. The agricultural machinery fleet comprised 1,550 unis.
In 2024, NIBULON invested up to USD 20 million to purchase modern agricultural machinery from CLAAS, HORSHCH, HARDI, BEDNAR, etc.
The company is engaged in livestock farming with 4 dairy farms and 1 pig farm located in three regions of Ukraine.
The branches farm the following breeds of cattle: Ukrainian black-spotted dairy, Ukrainian red-spotted dairy, Holstein, Angler, and Simmental.
NIBULON was also engaged in producing meat and sausage at its production facilities in Bystryk village (Zhytomyr Oblast) under NIBULON’s “Bystrytski Kovbasy” trade-mark. The products were produced by using traditional recipes in compliance with DSTU 4435:2005, DSTU 4436:2005 and DSTU 4591:2006. NIBULON’s sausage and meat products were made of natural raw materials, without adding soya or synthetic aromatizers.

### Shipbuilding

NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard LLC is located in protected water area of the Southern Buh River, near NIBULON’s transshipment terminal, in the area of the first canal bend of Mykolaiv Sea Port waters. The shipyard builds complete vessels and floating facilities. The complete production cycle is performed by the shipyard’s specialists – from metal cutting to furniture production, insulation and painting, commissioning of electrical and automation equipment, piping works, hull works, mechanical and fitter works, and engineering support. The shipyard also performs ship repairs and design works.
NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard works under the supervision of, and its operations meet the requirements of, the Shipping Register of Ukraine. Due to modernization, the shipyard launches 6-10 vessels per year. Presently, 700 qualified specialists work at NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard.
The NIBULON MAX 140-m self-propelled river-sea floating vessel is the shipyard’s achievement, as it is the largest crane vessel built since Ukraine’s independence.
In November 2021, NIBULON shipbuilding and shiprepair yard and OCEA officially signed an agreement to build 5 OCEA FPB 98 MKI fast patrol boats as part of the government project to strengthen Ukraine’s maritime safety and security.

### Passenger transportation

In 2017, NIBULON launched passenger transportation by water as its social project. The company manufactured and installed floating pontoon berths on the Kinburn Spit, as well as in Mykolaiv and Ochakiv. The most popular route in all seasons is Mykolaiv - Kinburn Spit - Ochakiv.
In 2021, NIBULON completed its fifth season of passenger transportation by water. The company transported more than 22 thousand passengers in 2021. In five years, NIBULON’s fleet transported more than 120 thousand passengers.
During the summers of 2022 and 2023, NIBULON provided passenger transportation along the route Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi - Ovidiopol.
The season for passenger transportation by water is from spring to autumn. The company informs about the opening and closing dates of the season in advance on its official website (nibulon.com) and on its Facebook page titled "Passenger Transportation by Water."

### Humanitarian demining

As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 30% of NIBULON’s land bank, which consists of land plots leased by individuals, has been mined.
In spring 2023, NIBULON became a mine action operator and received its first certificate to conduct non-technical survey. The company’s deminers started non-technical survey at Snihurivska branch to return the land bank in Mykolaiv Oblast to economic use. In March 2024, NIBULON was certified to carry out technical survey, manual demining, and combat area clearance. In May 2024, it successfully gained certification in demining with the use of machines and mechanisms.
The company has the necessary material and technical base for carrying out mine action processes and ensuring quality medical care. With grant funding from DEG Impulse gGmbH, four GCS-200 demining machines have been purchased. To ensure the safety and proper working conditions of deminers, NIBULON has acquired a Volkswagen Crafter type B ambulance.

## Sustainable development
### Minimizing the impact on the environment

In its multi-aspect activity, NIBULON constantly keeps one of the main principles of successful business, namely to preserve the environment. During 2018-2019, UAH 68.7 million was directed to preserve the environment and pay ecological payments to the budgets of all levels.
In 2009, NIBULON started to redirect its cargoes to water transport. NIBULON has transported over 25 million tons of cargoes by inland waterways, thereby removing more than 1 million trucks from highways and contributing to the reduction of harmful emissions. Rail transportation plays a significant role in the logistics structure, allowing the company to minimize transportation by road.
NIBULON implements its own environmental standards. It installs equipment to minimize the impact of its production processes on the environment. Since 2017, it has been implementing its energy saving program and waste recycling program for waste created at the company’s subdivisions. Within the above-mentioned program, the company installed boilers running on waste oils to heat and ensure hot water supply of the transport department; NIBULON installed solid fuel boilers running on briquettes made from non-feed grain waste at other subdivisions.
Considering that NIBULON is engaged in agricultural activities, its facilities are located in the villages. Thus, the return water discharge infrastructure is absent at the branches. Consequently, the branches have local sewage systems equipped with water treatment facilities. NIBULON uses European technology to clean domestic sewage water by performing complete biological cleaning with a membrane ultrafiltration method. Rainwater, melt water, and wash water are gathered and cleansed of oil products. The quality of treatment means that the company can discharge treated return water into the pond or use it for technical needs (irrigation, road cleaning, etc.)
The company’s modern fleet meets the requirements of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (Marpol 73/78), which is confirmed by the international certificates issued by the Shipping Register of Ukraine. Since 2017, NIBULON has equipped its floating facilities with devices to treat washing water with a system for its reuse.
NIBULON constantly stocks the rivers with fish and plants trees and bushes at its sites. The company stocked the Dnipro, the Southern Buh, as well as the Kakhovka Reservoir, the Kaniv Reservoir, the Kremenchuk Reservoir and the Dnipro Reservoir, with fish as part of compensatory measures, having released about 70 tons of silver carp, grass carp and carp, with a total worth over UAH 3 million. NIBULON planted about 30 thousand of trees and bushes, worth more than UAH 1.3 million.
In August 2018, NIBULON participated in the rescue operation and saved tens of thousands of so-iuy mullet in the Molochnyi Estuary (Zaporizhzhia Oblast). The fish entered the estuary in spring for spawning. It stuck in shallow water and died because of the lack of sea water. To rescue so-iuy mullet, NIBULON’s dredger removed about 10,000 m3 of sand.
In May 2018, the EBRD recognized NIBULON as the bronze award winner in the category “Environmental and Social Innovation” with an investment program for expanding and modernizing grain logistics infrastructure by further development of grain transportation by inland waterways.

### Hunger overcoming

NIBULON exports agricultural commodities to 75 countries.
Cooperation with the UN World Food Programme enables the enterprise to implement one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Zero Hunger, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

### Responsible agricultural production

NIBULON’s agronomists take into account the peculiarities of the crops grown and the suitability of soil and climate zones during planting, to maximize their potential.
NIBULON uses both traditional soil cultivation methods and sowing with grain drills, as well as implements strip-till technology.
For the effective implementation of the new practice, in 2024, NIBULON began updating its agricultural machinery fleet.
Strip-till not only helps ensure high precision and efficiency in technological operations but also reduces fuel consumption, limits soil moisture evaporation, and prevents wind erosion.
NIBULON’s laboratories can measure soil fertility, thereby enabling the company to improve the application of fertilizers and pesticides, to conduct planned crop rotation and to timely adapt agrarian techniques. The company manages to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers, in particular, thanks to strip-till, which involves preserving all nutrient residues on the surface for soil mineralization, especially in sandy soils.

### Care for communities in the circle of influence

For many years, NIBULON has been signing social partnership agreements with town, village and settlement councils, totaling approximately 80 agreements with localities in 13 regions of Ukraine. The purpose of these agreements was to implement social and economic development programs, preserve and enrich the traditions of historical and cultural heritage, and maintain infrastructure. NIBULON sponsored repairs and equipment of schools, medical institutions and palaces of culture, winterization of kindergartens, repair of roads, renewal of street lighting, heat-, water-, gas-supply.
In Bilenke village (Zaporizhzhia Oblast ), NIBULON officially opened sewage treatment facilities with a capacity of 2,000 m3 per day, built and reconstructed at the company’s expense. The villagers now use high-quality water treated by a multiple step technology that consists of mechanical, biological treatment as well as disinfection, and which is also environmentally friendly.
As a socially responsible company, NIBULON invests in road repairs, as well as helps educational and medical institutions.
NIBULON organized a modern laboratory to carry out analyses for the presence/absence of coronavirus by using the Polymerase chain reaction PCR method on the basis of Mykolaiv Regional Laboratory Center of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine by giving its own equipment.
To fight the COVID-19 pandemic, NIBULON donated UAH 100 million to develop the healthcare sector in Ukraine. As a result , the company installed 4 oxygen stations supplying 100 cubic meters per hour, laid oxygen networks with 400 oxygen supply points, created 50 first-class wards with 100 beds, as well as installed communication systems and call buttons.

### Volunteering

The volunteer movements of the company encompass assistance to the military, aid to local communities through participation in the reconstruction or renewal of assets affected by military actions, as well as support for volunteer initiatives of its employees.
In 2023, NIBULON’s team headed by Andriy Vadaturskyy participated in the 30th Chestnut Run. The company's employees, along with other Ukrainians, participated in the event to help children. All funds collected during registration were directed to the Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
At the end of 2023, NIBULON’s employees united to create a festive atmosphere for the children under the care of the Community Unity charity fund. The employees collected warm clothing, blankets, bedding, as well as healthy sweets, toys, and greeting cards for the children.

## Recognition

* Multiple winner of the National Maritime Rating of Ukraine.
* In 2019, NIBULON became the Best Employer in Mykolaiv.
* NIBULON was acknowledged as “Ukraine’s Most Attractive Employer in Agriculture” two years in a row (2019, 2020) by the Randstad Employer Brand Research.
* Multiple winner of the All-Ukrainian “Conscientious Taxpayers" rating.
* Winner of the National Competition “Charitable Ukraine” (2015, 2017, 2020), and Mykolaiv Regional Charity competition (2019).
* EBRD recognized NIBULON as the bronze award winner in the category “Environmental and Social Innovation”.