Affected by the continued deterioration of the Black Sea situation and the escalation of security risks in the Middle East, global shipping giant Maersk has once again adjusted its regional transportation network. On July 22nd, Maersk announced an indefinite suspension of its Chornomorsk port route services in Ukraine, as well as a partial suspension of land transport bookings in the Red Sea Middle East region to reduce regional security risks and ensure the safety of cargo transportation.Black Sea route indefinitely suspendedBlack Sea route indefinitely suspended
Black Sea route indefinitely suspended
Maersk announced that due to the continued deterioration of the security situation in its operating area, its cooperative feeder carriers are no longer able to provide transportation services to and from Ukraine via the Chornomorsk fishing port. Therefore, it has decided to suspend the port route, and the resumption time will be notified separately.
This adjustment involves the transportation arrangement of import and export goods.
In terms of import, the goods originally planned to be transported from Türkiye's regional ship MEDKON MIRA (voyage V.629S) to the fishing port of Giorno Morsk will be uniformly transferred to the port of Constanta in Romania for unloading. For goods that have already arrived or are expected to arrive at the port of Said in Egypt and were originally scheduled to be unloaded at the port of Jornomorsk, they will also be handled by the port of Constanta in accordance with the relevant terms of the bill of lading. If the customer cannot accept the new unloading port arrangement, they can apply to Maersk for a change of final destination.
In terms of exports, goods that have been booked but not yet shipped can be cancelled free of charge without any cancellation or modification fees; The containers that have completed Gate In can be adjusted to be loaded onto the ship at Constanta Port and continue to operate at the original sea freight rate. The inland transportation plan, transportation time and cost from Romania to Ukraine in the future will be coordinated and confirmed by the local Maersk team and the customer.
It is understood that the suspension this time is for the Giornomorsk fishing port route and does not involve the local deep-water commercial port. The Ukrainian side also stated that the Chornomorsk deepwater port and the surrounding ports of Odessa are still operating normally, and the fishing port is an independent operating facility that does not affect each other.
Black Sea security risks continue to escalate
Recently, the security situation in the Black Sea region has significantly deteriorated, with port facilities and merchant ships becoming frequent targets of military strikes. International shipping companies are constantly reassessing regional operational risks.
Just before Maersk announced the suspension of services, Ukraine's large grain export enterprise Kernel Holding had suspended its operations related to the main port of Chornomorsk due to continuous attacks on the port. Maersk also became the second large international enterprise to withdraw from the operation of the port this month.
Both Russia and Ukraine have recently increased their military operations against targets in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Russian side stated that its targets include ships transporting military supplies and port infrastructure; Ukraine continues to retaliate against Russian ships, and the maritime conflict between the two sides continues to escalate.
On the evening of July 22nd, a bulk cargo ship Golden Rose flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis caught fire in the attack, and all 16 crew members on board were rescued, with no serious injuries. In the previous week, multiple merchant ships were also attacked, with some crew members injured or killed, further exacerbating the risks of commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
Market analysis suggests that the continuous missile and drone attacks have had a significant impact on Ukraine's food exports. At present, the grain export capacity of Black Sea ports has decreased by about one-third compared to before, and some shippers have begun to choose alternative solutions such as Danube inland transportation to reduce transportation risks.
Middle East transportation tightens synchronously
In addition to Black Overseas, Maersk also adjusted its transportation network in the Middle East simultaneously. On July 22nd, Maersk announced the suspension of several land transport bookings involving the Red Sea and Gulf regions, including:
Transportation services through Jeddah Port and Oman Port in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar;
Transportation services from Jeddah Port to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Qatar;
Land transportation services from Sarala Port and Suhar Port to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.
The background of this adjustment is the renewed tightening of the security situation in the Middle East region. Recently, the situation between the United States and Iran has continued to escalate. The Houthi armed forces in Yemen have announced the expansion of military operations against Saudi related maritime targets and have attacked two Saudi oil tankers. They also claim to have forced about 10 merchant ships to change their routes and return, further increasing the risk of shipping in the Red Sea.
Shipping companies continue to strengthen risk management and control
Industry insiders believe that as the security situation in the two key shipping regions of the Black Sea and Red Sea continues to deteriorate, international shipping companies are constantly adjusting their route layout and transportation plans to reduce the safety risks faced by personnel and cargo.
The goods in the relevant regions may face situations such as port changes, increased transit, extended transportation time, and rising inland transportation costs in the future. We should closely monitor the latest notifications from shipping companies and make transportation plans and supply chain arrangements in advance.
