Ukraine is being plugged back into the global container trades. After more than 800 days since Russia embarked on its full-scale invasion of its neighbour, global carriers are making a return to Ukraine, even as the nation’s ports remain under attack.
German carrier Hapag-Lloyd this weekend becomes the first mainline operator to start offering containerised services to and from Ukraine, according to Alphaliner, while Ukrainian media is also reporting that Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) will launch a feeder service between Turkey and Ukraine from next month.
Hapag-Lloyd will start slotting on the Romania-Ukraine service operated by Iteris Feeders, a Ukrainian transport and logistics company, based in Odesa, while Splash is still waiting to hear back from Geneva on MSC’s specific plans.
Odesa port infrastructure was struck by Russian missiles yesterday. Despite repeated attacks at marine infrastructure, shipping traffic has picked up significantly out of Ukraine this year, led by dry bulk. As well as grain shipments, Ukrainian iron ore exports, principally to China, have leapt in recent months with volumes now getting back to pre-war levels.
Oh dear! Vlad will be very sad.