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)
Serbia considers Albania’s port of Durres for oil imports after EU sanctions against Gazprom Neft
Durrës, Albania (PortSEurope) March 28, 2022 – Landlocked Serbia is looking for ways to use the Albanian port of Durres for oil imports from the Middle...
Port of Constanta has new geopolitical and commercial importance
Constanta, Romania (PortSEurope) March 24, 2022 – The crisis in Ukraine has raised the profile of the Port on Constanta, giving it new geopolitical and...
Five Ukrainian Black Sea ports still partly operational – Ministry of Infrastructure
Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) March 23, 2022 – Five Ukrainian Black Sea ports are still partly operation 30 days after the Russian invasion and despite the...
Çelebi Bandırma Port increases cargo handling in 2021, but grain imports affected by Ukraine crisis
Bandirma, Turkey (PortSEurope) March 23, 2022 – In the year 2021, Çelebi Bandırma Port handled approximately 4.9 million tons of cargo. This compares...
No mines in the Black Sea; Odessa shelled by Russian Navy; Mariupol doesn’t surrender despite weeks of bombardment
Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) March 22, 2022 – A claim by Russia’s Federal Security Service – FSB (formerly KGB) that mines placed by Ukraine’s Navy at...
Ukraine & Russia trade accusations of laying mines in the Black Sea, creating problems for Constanta, Varna, Burgas, Istanbul
Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) March 20, 2022 – Four weeks after the start of Russian invasion in Ukraine, Russia’s Federal Security Service – FSB...
Ukraine’s Azov Sea coast is under Russian control but Mariupol still resists massive attacks
Mariupol, Ukraine (PortSEurope) March 19, 2022 – Russian forces have established full control over the entire Ukrainian Azov Sea coast, 23 days after...
Azerbaijan Railways changes exports routes to avoid Russia
Baku, Azerbaijan (PortSEurope) March 17, 2022 – The Russian invasion of Ukraine means that exporters, companies and countries, are diverting cargo...
Danube River available for Ukrainian exports
Varna, Bulgaria (PortSEurope) March 17, 2022 – Surprisingly, Danube River traffic, especially upstream in Austria and Germany, is not being utilised for...
Maersk to end Russian container operations by end-April
Copenhagen, Denmark (PortSEurope) March 16, 2022 – Denmark’s A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S has said that it expects to complete all container...
ITF Dockers unite against Putin’s Ukraine invasion
Press release – International Transport Workers’ Federation – March 3, 2022 Following last week’s call from transport unions for an immediate...
Ukrainian crisis set to hit Spanish container terminals
Madrid, Spain (PortSEurope) March 14, 2022 – The Ukrainian crisis is set to hit Spanish container terminals. Global energy prices have increased and the...
International sanctions against Russia leads Kazakhstan to seek port alternatives
Aktau, Kazakhstan (PortSEurope) March 13, 2022 – International sanctions against Russia has forced Kazakhstan to seek alternative routes to export, import...
Only two small Ukrainian ports operational – both on the Danube River and close to the Black Sea
Izmail, Ukraine (PortSEurope) March 13, 2022 – Izmail and Reni are the only two ports that continue operations in war torn Ukraine that was invaded by Russia...
Finnlines & Atlantic Container Line suspend services to and from Russia
Helsinki, Finland (PortSEurope) March 11, 2022 – Finnlines & Atlantic Container Line have announced that they has suspended all services with Russian...
A.P. Moller-Maersk plans to sell stake in Russian port operator Global Ports Investments
Copenhagen, Denmark (Ports Europe) March 11, 2022 – It has been reported that Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk plans to divest its 30.75% stake in...
Mariupol still resists massive Russian attacks; Russian navy withdraws from Odessa
Mariupol, Ukraine (Ports Europe) March 11, 2022 – Ukraine’s Azov Sea port of Mariupol is surrounded by Russian forces and for over a week subjected to...
Kazakhstan seeks greater use of ports of Aktau and Kuryk
Aktau, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) March 10, 2022 – International sanctions against Russia means that Kazakhstan is seeking alternative routes to export...
EU sanctions on Russia would have limited effect on Port of Algeciras
Algeciras, Spain (Ports Europe) March 9, 2022 – The economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union for the invasion of Ukraine would have a...
EU steps to massively reduce Russian energy imports will have implications for its ports
Brussels, Belgium (Ports Europe) March 9, 2022 – Yesterday, the European Commission proposed an outline of a plan to make Europe...