American Chamber of Commerce calls for stronger maritime protection for Ukraine

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham Ukraine) has called on international partners to strengthen Ukraine's air and maritime protection.

Source: a statement by AmCham Ukraine

Details: The issue specifically concerns stronger protection of Black Sea port infrastructure, as recent Russian strikes have put maritime exports at risk.

Quote: "AmCham Ukraine calls on international partners to urgently reinforce Ukraine's air and maritime defence capabilities to safeguard civilian lives, critical infrastructure, ports and the continuity of global trade and food supply chains."

Details: The statement says that recent Russian missile and drone attacks targeting Ukraine and Odesa Oblast have led to injuries and deaths among port workers and ship crews, as well as damage to ports, energy facilities, grain storage sites and commercial vessels.

Russian strikes have reduced terminal operations to 50%, with some facilities shut down entirely and most operating on generators. There have been large-scale power outages and additional costs associated with generator use, while power plants and electricity networks have been damaged and require repairs.

Rail connections to ports have also been restricted, and commercial vessels are facing delays.

Quote: "The current situation poses a direct risk of disruption to global food and commodity supply chains, with far-reaching consequences for international markets and food security, including rising food prices and worsening hunger levels in vulnerable countries."

Details: The statement also notes that the scale of losses suffered by grain and oilseed exporters is currently difficult to assess.

However, they "are currently estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of US dollars per month," the statement says, warning that without the deployment of air and maritime defence, Ukrainian and international businesses will face operational challenges that will make it impossible to charter vessels and obtain insurance coverage for ships, crews and cargo.

Background:

• The emergency situation caused by a large-scale Russian attack on energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast has been granted the status of a national-level emergency.
• On the night of 12-13 December, the Russians carried out a large-scale combined attack on Odesa using strike drones and missiles. Authorities reported damage to civilian facilities as well as energy and industrial infrastructure.
• A fire broke out in grain silos as a result of a Russian attack on the port in Odesa.

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