Since the Russian invasion, Ukraine's maritime trade has suffered a dramatic decline, with its key Black Sea ports—Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi—facing severe disruptions. Once a competitive regional player, Ukraine's maritime activities have been nearly paralysed, significantly impacting global shipping and food security.
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Before the conflict, Ukraine exported around 50 million tons of grain but also metals and industrial goods. However, the full-scale invasion in 2022 led to blockades and damage at major ports, resulting in port calls plummeting from an average of 60 per week to almost none by mid-2022.
While some cargo has been rerouted through smaller Danube River ports like Reni and Izmail, these alternatives cannot match the capacity of the larger Black Sea facilities. Nearby regional ports in Romania and Bulgaria have seen increased traffic as a consequence of these changes.
Despite a slight uptick in 2023 and 2024 due to rerouting and heightened demand, Ukrainian container trade remains severely restricted. Key ports have experienced drastic connectivity losses; for instance, Odesa's connectivity dropped by 93.6% between Q2 2021 and Q2 2024, while Chornomorsk saw a 67.3% decrease during the same period.
Source: www.container-news.com