Plan almost complete: how Ukrainian ports are operating despite the war
12 March 18:48
Since the beginning of the year, Ukrainian seaports have handled more than 15 million tons of cargo, despite constant attacks on port infrastructure. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine and Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to him, almost the entire volume of transshipment was provided by the ports of Greater Odessa.
Most cargo passes through Greater Odessa
The ports of Greater Odessa play a key role in the country’s maritime logistics:
- Odessa Sea Port
- Pivdennyi Sea Port
- Chornomorsk Sea Port
Together, they handled 14.5 million tons of cargo.
Of these:
- 8.5 million tons were grain exports,
which remains one of the key areas of Ukrainian trade.
The role of Danube ports
The ports on the Danube also continue to operate as an alternative logistics route.
They handled:
- 1.1 million tons of cargo,
- of which 221,000 tons were grain.
This refers to the work of ports on the Ukrainian part of the Danube, which became an important backup export channel after the start of full-scale war.
The maritime corridor has been operating for over a year
According to the minister, since September 2023, almost 179 million tons of cargo have been transported through the Ukrainian maritime corridor.
- 179 million tons of cargo,
- of which 107 million tons were grain.
During this time, 7,087 ships calling at Ukrainian ports have been handled.
Ports under constant attack
The port industry is operating against the backdrop of regular attacks from Russia.
According to government data:
- 726 port infrastructure facilities have been damaged or partially destroyed;
- 153 civilian ships have been damaged;
- 238 civilians have been injured.
In 2025, the intensity of attacks increased significantly:
- 96 strikes on port infrastructure compared to 36 in 2024.
Strikes on logistics — not only at sea
In parallel with the attacks on ports, Russia intensified its strikes on railway infrastructure.
Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi previously reported that Russian troops regularly attack the railway with Shahed-type drones, sometimes using 6–7 drones per night.
Port plans almost complete
Despite the war, the maritime industry has almost achieved its planned transshipment targets.
According to the results of 2025:
- the planned cargo turnover of ports was 86.2 million tons;
- the actual result was 82.2 million tons.
This is approximately 95% of the plan, which indicates the relative stability of exports even in the context of hostilities.
