Vessels stop calling at Ukrainian ports – Ukrainian agrarian policy minister

As of 23 July, inbound vessel traffic to Ukraine's Black Sea ports has been suspended due to the threat of Russian attacks.

Source: Latifundist with reference to Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotskyi

Details: According to Vysotskyi, shipowners themselves made the decision to suspend port calls. The state has not imposed any restrictions on traffic.

"Just yesterday, four or five vessels were entering the ports. That's not much, but there was traffic. As of today, vessel calls have been suspended. This is a decision by shipowners – the state, for its part, has not imposed any restrictions," Vysotskyi said.

Meanwhile, Vysotskyi said that "it is too early to speak of a complete blockade of maritime exports".

He added that the government is working on solutions that should help restore shipping, although Vysotskyi has not yet commented on their details.

According to the minister, the situation may change not from week to week but daily. After a sharp increase in risks, shipowners initially suspend operations, assess the new circumstances and later begin adapting to them.

Vysotskyi stressed that exports should be assessed over a period of months and, more broadly, over the course of a year. The current situation has lasted for four days, so it has not yet had a critical impact on supply volumes.

Background:

• Maersk is suspending its service at the Black Sea port due to intensified Russian strikes on port infrastructure.
• The intensification of Russian attacks on vessels has prompted some shipowners to refrain from calling at Ukrainian ports: they are reviewing freight agreements or cancelling bookings.
• In the first half of 2026, Ukrainian seaports handled 42.4 million tonnes of cargo despite Russian attacks, which intensified in July.
• The Ukrainian Agrarian Association reported that the country has lost about a third of its grain export capacity through its key Black Sea ports due to intensified Russian attacks.

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