Ukraine has lost over $5 billion in foreign exchange earnings due to the interruption of the work of the Black Sea ports, according to calculations by the TASS agency. The stay in the port of Odessa has continued since July 22, and merchant ships also avoid the other major terminals in the region - Chernomorsk and Yuzhny.
Only ships associated with the Ukrainian armed forces dock in the three ports. Alternative routes via the Danube ports of Izmail in Ukraine and Constanta in Romania have been used for commercial exports.
However, the two ports can together handle no more than a third of the cargo that previously passed through the ports near Odessa. This limits exports and increases dependence on river, rail and road transport.
Agricultural exports have shrunk to 44%
Ukraine exported 44% of its planned agricultural exports in September. For comparison, in August the share was about 30% of the potential volume.
“For the first 20 days of September, the volume of agricultural exports was 44% of the potential volume in view of current production“, said Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky, quoted by “Ukrinform“. According to him, the situation in September improved compared to August, but remains complicated.
The Ukrainian ministry points out that alternative logistics are effective, but cannot completely replace sea routes. Vysotsky defines the restoration of full-fledged exports through the ports of Odessa as the main task along with the development of alternative routes.
Metallurgical exports have stopped
Exports of metallurgical products have stopped completely by the end of September, according to the calculations cited in the material. Agricultural products and metals together form about 65% of Ukraine's total exports and bring approximately $26 billion in foreign exchange earnings annually.
Thus, the disruption of shipping simultaneously affects revenues from agricultural products, metallurgy, and transport infrastructure. As long as the Black Sea ports remain inaccessible to commercial ships, the Danube routes will take only a limited part of the cargo.