The Ukraine Crisis
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict that began in 2014. Russian now controls the Azov Sea and occupies the ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol. It has also blockaded all Ukrainian Black Sea ports which are currently closed to all shipping. This category includes all aspects of the conflict affecting ports – port status and alternative export routes. (Updated 24.06.2022)
Varna as a back-up solution to Constanta for its overload with Ukrainian cargo
Varna, Bulgaria (PortSEurope) June 27, 2022 – With almost completely destroyed supply chains in Ukraine, blocked Ukrainian Black Sea ports and the...
Turkey and Russia continue talks about reopening Ukrainian ports
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) June 23, 2022 – A military delegation from Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense went to Moscow yesterday to discuss...
Metinvest asks customers to avoid products stolen from Mariupol
Kiev, Ukraine, (Ports Europe) June 22, 2022 – Metinvest Group has asked customers of steel products not to buy such goods from Ilyich Steel and Azovstal...
EU extends sanctions on Crimea and city of Sevastopol
Brussels, Belgium (Ports Europe) June 20, 2022 – The European Council has announced the renewal of sanctions introduced by the European Union...
Donetsk People’s Republic says it will use Port of Mariupol to export grain
Vienna, Austria (Ports Europe) June 20, 2022 – Denis Pushilin, president of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), has commented that...
Russia accused of exporting Ukrainian grain via Sevastopol
Vienna, Austria (Ports Europe) June 20, 2022 – The U.S. space technology company Maxar has satellite images which show Russian vessels being loaded with...
EU governments will consider providing Ukraine with temporary granaries
Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Markiyan Dmytrasevych addressed at the meeting of the EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries. He...
European Commission launches platform to optimize Ukrainian grain exports to the EU
Brussels, Belgium (Ports Europe) June 16, 2022 – The European Commission, in cooperation with V_labs and Rail Cargo Group, has launched a grain trading...
Comment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on the suspension of representatives of the Russian Federation from participation in the work of the Danube Commission
News – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine – 16 June 2022 Following the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Danube...
Port of Berdyansk ready to export grain – local official
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) June 14, 2022 – The Port of Berdyansk will be ready to resume grain shipments and wheat deliveries to Turkey are possible....
Russia says that the occupied ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol are operating normally
Moscow, Russia (Ports Europe) June 9, 2022 – The Russian government has said that the occupied ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol are operating normally and...
Posidonia 2022: Greeks to play pivotal role in setting up ‘Solidarity Lanes’
As the world’s largest shipowning and cross-trading nation, Greek owners are set to play a major role in the establishment of Solidarity Lanes – June...
Danube cargo returns to Izmail port
Izmail, Ukraine (Ports Europe) June 8, 2022 – At the May, a river-bound caravan comprising the self-propelled vessel “Captain Shirkov” and...
Lithuania seeks better rail connections with Ten-T and Ukrainian ports
Klaipėda, Lithuania (Ports Europe) June 7, 2022 – The Lithuanian government is proposing improved transport links with the European Union’s...
Kazakhstan ports double cargo traffic so far in 2022
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) June 6, 2022 – So far this year, the Caspian Sea ports of have nearly doubled cargo traffic. This is the result of the...
EU adopts complete import ban on all Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products
Brussels, Belgium (Ports Europe) June 5, 2022 – The European Commission has adopted the sixth package of restrictive measures against Russia. It includes...
Traffic jam of Ukrainian grain ships in the small Romania’s Black Sea port of Sulina
Sulina, Romania (Ports Europe) June 4, 2022 – Dozens of Ukrainian barges, mostly carrying grain, are waiting for hours and days to enter the small...
Di Maio proposes use of Trieste and Venice ports to handle grain exports from Ukraine
Rome, Italy (Ports Europe) June 3, 2022 – Speaking in the Italian parliament yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi di Maio, proposed establishing...
How Russia will try to mitigate the impact of the western transport sanctions
Ekaterinburg, Russia (Ports Europe) June 3, 2022 – Understanding Russian strategy about how to circumvent western sanctions in the transport sector and...
Comment by Ukraine government regarding the blockade of Ukrainian seaports by Russia
After attacking Ukraine, Russia has blocked Ukrainian seaports. The Russian army has mined areas of the sea, and is constantly trying to break through the...