Ukrainian Seaports in 2025: Performance and Challenges

Sources

• State Enterprise “Administration of Seaports of Ukraine (AMPU)”
• Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine
• European Business Association (EBA)
• Ukrainian Shipping Magazine

Overall Throughput and Cargo Structure

In 2025, Ukrainian seaports continued to operate under conditions shaped by full-scale war, infrastructure constraints and regulatory adjustments. Repeated attacks on port facilities, tariff revisions, temporary restrictions on specific cargo categories and energy disruptions significantly influenced operational performance throughout the year.

According to the State Enterprise “Administration of Seaports of Ukraine” (AMPU), Ukrainian seaports handled 82.2 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, representing 95.36% of the planned volume of 86.2 million tonnes. The forecast indicator of 81.769 million tonnes was achieved at 100.5%.

Agricultural commodities remained the core segment, accounting for 44.2 million tonnes, or 53.7% of total throughput. This represents a 26.3% decrease compared to 2024, reflecting the impact of war-related risks on agricultural production and export operations.

The ports of Greater Odesa handled over 62 million tonnes (excluding containers). The Port of Pivdennyi recorded the highest throughput, followed by Chornomorsk and Odesa.

Following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023, the Ukrainian maritime corridor continued operations. Since its launch, more than 160 million tonnes of cargo have been transported via over 6,000 vessels, including more than 96 million tonnes of Ukrainian agricultural products.

Financially, the sector reported revenues approximately 7% above planned targets, despite underperformance against physical throughput projections. Lower volumes were influenced by reduced cultivated areas, lower crop yields and contraction in metallurgical production.

Danube Cluster: Reserve Route and Structural Limitations

In 2025, the Danube ports (Izmail, Reni and Ust-Dunaisk) continued to play a strategic role within Ukraine’s port logistics system. According to sectoral sources, approximately 8.9–9 million tonnes were handled through the Danube cluster during the year.

These ports functioned as a reserve export corridor, partially mitigating risks in the Black Sea ports and relieving pressure on EU land border crossings.

However, the cluster faces structural limitations. Transport distances to Danube ports are generally longer, increasing the inland logistics cost component. Draft restrictions at the Bystre channel and port approaches (approximately 6–6.5 metres) limit operations to small and medium-sized vessels, often requiring additional transshipment in Romanian ports, particularly Constanța.

Rail and road capacity constraints, combined with border crossing congestion with Romania and Moldova, prevent the Danube cluster from fully substituting Black Sea port capacity. Within the framework of the EU “Solidarity Lanes” initiative, the Danube route is regarded as a complementary multimodal component rather than a full-scale replacement for deep-sea terminals.

Container Shipping

2025 marked a partial recovery in container operations. Early in the year, international container carriers resumed calls to Odesa, signalling a cautious return of liner services.

Despite periodic suspensions due to security concerns, Ukrainian seaports handled 215,748 TEU in 2025 compared to 129,902 TEU in 2024, representing a 66% increase.

Key constraints remain security-related risks, limited predictability of transit times, complexities surrounding war-risk insurance and infrastructure damage. Cost and timing uncertainty continues to complicate planning for importers and exporters.

Railway Tariff Policy

Rail tariff policy became a significant issue in 2025. Following the restoration of the bridge in Voznesensk, pre-war routing to the ports of Greater Odesa was reinstated early in the year.

However, from April onward, tariff distances for shipments to Odesa Port were effectively increased by rerouting trains along longer paths. This resulted in additional logistics costs of approximately USD 2.5–3 per tonne, directly affecting export competitiveness.

In parallel, Ukrainian Railways announced freight tariff indexation of 27% during 2025 and an additional 11% increase effective 1 January 2026. The cumulative adjustment exceeds 40%, increasing cost pressure across export supply chains.

Restrictions on Fertiliser Handling

In July 2025, temporary restrictions were introduced on the handling and storage of ammonia-containing cargoes and fertilisers in ports within the Odesa region.

As a result, part of the cargo flow was redirected to the ports of Giurgiulesti (Moldova) and Galați (Romania). Market participants estimated the additional logistics cost at approximately USD 70 per tonne.

The restrictions were partially lifted at the end of August, allowing maritime imports of certain fertiliser categories to resume.

Chornomorsk Concession Project

In 2025, implementation of the concession project in Chornomorsk Port commenced. The project includes the First and Container Terminals with associated deep-water berths and infrastructure.

The initiative is presented by the state as a mechanism to attract international investment and modernise port capacity. Official statements indicate that more than 40 international port operators and investors expressed interest.

At the same time, part of the market has expressed critical views regarding specific aspects of the concession process. Industry representatives emphasise the need for full transparency in investor selection, clearly defined investment commitments and predictable long-term tariff conditions. Concerns have also been raised regarding competitive balance and potential redistribution of cargo flows among ports.

Additional discussion followed reports suggesting that the concession process might proceed without the use of the electronic procurement system Prozorro, prompting further calls for transparency within the professional community.

Year-End Security and Infrastructure Risks

In December 2025, Ukrainian ports were again affected by large-scale attacks, resulting in infrastructure damage and energy supply disruptions. Portions of the port cluster operated under limited power generation capacity.

Operational delays impacted handling speed and freight costs. Since the start of the full-scale war, hundreds of port infrastructure facilities and numerous civilian vessels have been damaged.

Despite these conditions, Ukrainian seaports have continued to operate, adjusting operational procedures, optimising handling processes and maintaining export flows under heightened uncertainty.

Conclusions and Structural Outlook

The results of 2025 confirm that Ukrainian seaports continue to operate under the conditions of full-scale war and sustained security pressure. War-related risks remain a defining factor affecting throughput capacity, insurance coverage, freight costs and the overall predictability of logistics operations.

At the same time, the sector has maintained core operational resilience. Agricultural exports continue to be supported, container traffic has shown gradual recovery, and infrastructure and investment initiatives are advancing despite the operating environment. However, the long-term stability of the port system will depend on security conditions, regulatory transparency, tariff predictability and the sector’s ability to adapt to a reconfigured geopolitical and logistical landscape.