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)
Reuters: Lloyd’s in talks with the UN for insurance of Ukrainian grain shipments
London, United Kingdom (Ports Europe) September 7, 2023 – Lloyd’s of London is in talks with the United Nations (UN) over providing insurance cover...
Russia to be expelled from the Danube Commission
Budapest, Hungary (Ports Europe) September 7, 2023 – For weeks now Russia has been attacking Ukrainian Danube River ports of Izmail, Reni and Kylia with...
Ships carrying products from Ukrainian metals companies have broken the sea blockade
Odessa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 6, 2023 – The local Metinvest Group has published a press release saying that for the first time since the...
Russia attacks Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail
Odessa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 6, 2023 – Earlier today, Russia attacked the Danube inland port of Izmail, in the Odessa region. The...
United Nations Black Sea Grain Initiative – grain statistics
Istanbul, Turkey (Ports Europe) September 5, 2023 – The Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed on July 27, 2022, enabling limited exports of Ukrainian...
New Russian drone attack against Danube port of Reni
Reni, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 3, 2023 – Iranian-made Russian drones attacked again Ukrainian Danube River port of Reni during the night of September...
Russia will try to build fertilisers terminals in its ports
Taman, Russia (Ports Europe) September 3, 2023 – Unable to export its huge fertiliser output via the ports of the neighbouring countries due to Western...
Update: Four ships went through Russian blockade; dozen more are in Ukrainian ports
Odesa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 2, 2023 – The two ships that left the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi in Odesa (Odessa) region in the...
117,000 tonnes of agricultural products exported daily via Ukraine’s Danube ports
Izmail, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 1, 2023 – During the first 15 days of August, Ukrainian Danube River ports shipped 1,750,000 tonnes of...
Two more ships break Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports
Yuzhny, Ukraine (Ports Europe) September 1, 2023 – Two more ships left the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi in Odesa (Odessa) region in the...
Update: The second ship that broke Russian blockade enters Romanian waters
Constanta, Romania (Ports Europe) August 27, 2023 – The bulk cargo carrier Primus (it arrived in Odessa in February 2022 under the name Polarstar),...
Second merchant ship breaks Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports
Odesa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) August 26, 2023 – The Russian Navy is becoming a laughing stock after a second bulk cargo...
Big fire in Novorossiysk, Russia’s largest port
Novorossiysk, Russia (Ports Europe) August 20, 2023 – A large fire burnt for at least three hours on 1,300 sq. m. in a cargo terminal of Russia’s Black Sea...
Ship reaches Istanbul from Odessa using “humanitarian corridor”
Istanbul, Turkey (Ports Europe) August 18, 2023 – The first ship to use a temporary corridor to and from Ukraine’s seaports entered Turkey’s...
Defiant German ship sails out of Odessa despite Russian threats
Odesa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) August 16, 2023 – In a show of defiance and with complete disregard for Russian threats, the first merchant ship has used...
Russia again attacks Ukrainian Danube ports exporting grain
Izmail, Ukraine (Ports Europe) August 16, 2023 – Ukraine’s air force on Wednesday said a large group of Russian army drones entered the mouth of the Danube...
Naval mine explodes near Constanta port in the Black Sea
Costineşti, Romania (Ports Europe), August 14, 2023 – A naval mine exploded on August 14 in the sea after it hit the pier in front of the Forum...
Ukraine plans “a safe shipping route” in the Black Sea
Odessa, Ukraine (Ports Europe) August 14, 2023 – The Ukrainian government has started registering vessels which are willing sail along “a safe...
Russian warship fires warning shots on Turkish owned cargo vessel in Black Sea
Varna, Bulgaria (Ports Europe) August 13, 2023 – Today, a Russian warship fired warning shots at a Turkish cargo Palau-flagged Sukru Okan ship after its...
Ukraine declared six Russian Black Sea ports zones of “military threat”
Novorossiysk, Russia (Ports Europe) August 6, 2023 – On August 4, Ukraine, invaded by Russia in February 2022, declared the internal and external waters...