Successful entry of the global towage services leader — P&O Maritime — into Ukraine

The entry of global port services operator P&O Maritime into Ukraine marked a turning point for the development of the country’s private towage fleet market. Initiated by SD Capital in 2017, the deal laid the groundwork for bringing in an international investor — first through an investment in a local operator, and later through the creation of a joint venture with the DP World Group.

In 2018, P&O Maritime — a subsidiary of DP World — acquired SD Capital’s stake and has since operated in Ukraine under the brand P&O Maritime Ukraine. The company became the first to introduce global standards, a professional management model, and a world-class fleet to the sector.

Today, P&O Maritime Ukraine operates in all of Ukraine’s seaports, setting the highest benchmarks for service quality and operational efficiency. This deal not only opened the Ukrainian market to a major international player — it effectively established the modern private towage services segment in the country.