From August 1–13, Ukraine exported 790,700 metric tons of agricultural products, compared to 1.849 million metric tons during the same period in July—a decrease of 57.2%, according to the brokerage firm Spike Brokers.
According to the firm, the value of exports fell by 37.3% to $478.8 million, compared to $763.8 million during the corresponding period in July.
“The main factor limiting August’s pace is concentrated in the grain segment. At the same time, the geography of logistics is changing: the flow through seaports is significantly lower than in July, while road crossings and western rail corridors are operating at a higher intensity,” the report notes.
From August 1–13, 130,100 metric tons of agricultural products were exported via road border crossings, compared to 119,500 metric tons during the corresponding 13 days in July—an increase of 8.9%. Exports via Hungary saw the largest increase—32.9%—followed by Slovakia (28%), Romania (14.1%), and Poland (3.7%). The flow through Moldova was close to July’s level, declining by approximately 1.9%.
At the same time, as of August 12, 435,800 metric tons of grain cargo had been transported by rail, which is 46.9% less than during the corresponding period in July and 52.1% less than in August 2025. The average daily load for the first 11 days of August was 31.3 thousand metric tons—38% lower than in July and 49% less than a year ago.
The export component of grain rail shipments fell by 72% compared to July, to 201.7 thousand metric tons. Of this volume, 63% passed through border crossings, and 29% went through the ports of Odesa. During the reporting period, only 75,200 metric tons of grain were transported through the ports of Odesa, compared to 656,400 metric tons during the corresponding period in July (-88.5%).
At the same time, the average daily throughput of grain railcars through western border crossings during the first 11 days of August rose to 139.6 railcars, compared to 71.3 railcars in July—an increase of 96%.
According to Spike Brokers, the main growth came from the Romanian and Polish routes—up to 44.7 and 44.4 railcars per day, respectively. Transit to Slovakia increased to 26.9 railcars per day, while transit to Hungary decreased to 23.6 railcars.
As of August 12, there were 8,718 thousand railcars at border crossings, compared to 7,858 thousand previously. In particular, the number of grain cars rose from 369 to 693, or by 87.8%.
Railway exports of vegetable oil totaled 41.5 thousand metric tons, which is 0.9% more than the corresponding July figure, with 89% of the volume passing through land border crossings.
Spike Brokers notes that the sea-rail corridor remains the weakest link in the current logistics chain. As of August 13, the average daily unloading rate bound for the ports of Greater Odesa had dropped to 146 railcars, while 262 grain cars were en route to the ports. There were 1.32 thousand grain cars heading toward the Danube ports.
Railway grain shipments to the ports of Greater Odesa during the first five days of August fell by 84.3% compared to the same period in July—to 40.8 thousand metric tons, according to the brokerage firm Spike Brokers.
According to its data, the total volume of agricultural exports from Ukraine for August 1–6 amounted to 312,900 metric tons, compared to 784,500 metric tons for the same period in July, a decrease of 60.1%. At the same time, export revenue decreased by 38.4%—to $201.5 million from $326.9 million.
The sharpest decline was seen in grains: wheat exports for the first six days of August totaled 93.2 thousand metric tons, compared to 294.9 thousand metric tons in early July, while corn exports totaled 33.5 thousand metric tons, compared to 293.7 thousand metric tons, respectively.
At the same time, a seasonal flow of rapeseed totaling 27,900 metric tons appeared in the structure of August exports, while shipments of soybean meal rose to 25,700 metric tons from 18,600 metric tons during the corresponding period in July. Sunflower oil exports fell to 30.7 thousand metric tons from 52.1 thousand metric tons.
During the first five days of August, a total of 182 thousand metric tons of grain and milled products were transported by rail, which is 44.1% less than during the same period in July.
“Data from Ukrainian Railways (UZ) for the first five days of the month show a sharp decline in rail grain shipments to seaports, while land-based rail crossings and road exports are operating at a relatively higher level,” the report states.
As for overland logistics channels, from August 1–6, 59,600 metric tons of agricultural products were exported through road border crossings, compared to 53,600 metric tons during the same period in July (an increase of 11.3%).
According to Spike Brokers, the average daily throughput of grain and meal shipments through border crossings during the first five days of August was 142 railcars, compared to 139 railcars in July.
Volumes increased the most on the Romanian route—to 31.2 railcars per day, or 29.3 railcars more than in July. Poland increased its shipments to 27.4 railcars per day (+13.8). In contrast, Hungary reduced this figure to 23 railcars per day (-15.9), and Slovakia to 14.2 railcars per day (-2.7). The backlog of grain railcars heading toward the border rose from 369 to 521 railcars, or by 41.2%.
“In contrast to the slower overall pace of agricultural exports, the road transport channel began August with greater activity than in July. However, its absolute capacity remains insufficient to compensate for the reduction in large-tonnage grain flows through seaports,” the report states.
An increase in activity was also recorded on the Danube route: the number of grain cars in transit rose to 1,296 (+155), and the average daily unloading rate increased to 157 cars (+106).
PJSC “Zaporizhkox,” one of Ukraine’s largest producers of coke and coke-chemical products and a member of the Metinvest Group, reduced its blast furnace coke production by 2.97% in January–July of this year compared to the same period last year, down to 497,750 metric tons.
According to the company, 63.4 thousand metric tons of coke were produced in July, compared to 74.9 thousand metric tons the previous month and 78.9 thousand metric tons in July 2025.
“Among the main factors that contributed to the decline in production volumes in July 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 were a decrease in coal concentrate shipments due to the blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports caused by the aggressor country’s constant attacks on international merchant vessels, particularly those carrying raw materials for the Ukrainian metallurgical industry,” the press release explains.
As previously reported, in 2025, “Zaporizhkox” increased its output by 2.7% compared to 2024—to 898,300 metric tons, while in 2024, output rose by 2.1% to 874,700 metric tons from 856,800 metric tons in 2023.
“Zaporizhkox” operates a full technological cycle for the processing of coke-chemical products.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated mining and metallurgical group of companies. Its major shareholders are the SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of the Metinvest Group.
At the end of July, Ukraine’s Danube port cluster sharply increased its intake of grain carriers amid a slowdown in operations at the Greater Odessa ports; however, a critical drop in water levels on the Danube could limit the capacity of this alternative export route.
According to the brokerage firm Spike Brokers, the number of grain railcars heading to the Danube ports increased nearly sevenfold over the week—from 167 to 1,141 thousand railcars. The average daily unloading rate rose by 17 railcars to 51 railcars per day.
At the same time, the number of grain railcars heading toward the ports of Greater Odessa fell by approximately 70%—to a record low of 1,356 railcars, compared to 4,525 railcars a week earlier. Average daily unloading decreased by 160 railcars to 690, while loading decreased by 203 railcars to 580 railcars per day.
In July, 1.38 million metric tons of grain were transported by rail to Ukrainian seaports, which is 37% less than in June. Additional constraints included overcrowding at certain port terminals and delays in transshipping grain from railcars to ships.
Thus, the increase in railcar deliveries to the Danube currently appears to be an immediate market response to the slowdown in operations in the Greater Odessa area. However, the capacity of the Danube route is also under pressure due to the rapid shallowing of the river.
At the end of July, the water flow in the Danube at the entrance to Romania dropped to 1,650 cubic meters per second, compared to an average July level of about 4,750 cubic meters. By August 4, according to forecasts, the figure could drop to 1,500 cubic meters per second, approaching the historic low of 1,400 cubic meters set in 1985.
Back in July, the Romanian Lower Danube Administration recorded a sharp drop in water levels across virtually the entire navigable stretch from Băziaș to Sulina. Near Corabia, several barges ran aground, and actual depths in certain critical sections decreased to 1.5–1.7 meters. Dredging operations are being carried out to maintain depths of at least 1.8–2 meters.
The main risk for Ukraine lies not necessarily in a complete shutdown of the Danube ports, but in a reduction in the permissible draft of vessels. Barges and river-sea hybrid vessels will be forced to carry less grain, which will increase the number of voyages, transportation costs, and fleet turnaround time.
Even if the terminals in Reni and Izmail retain the capacity to receive railcars, the slowdown in loading grain onto vessels could lead to a buildup of rolling stock at stations near the ports. The disparity is already evident: 1,141 railcars are heading toward the Danube ports, while the average daily unloading rate is only 51 railcars.
If this ratio persists, the terminals may once again face overcrowding, after which Ukrzaliznytsia will have to impose restrictions on the shipment of certain cargoes or implement temporary measures.
The second risk is related to the increase in queues on the Romanian sections of the Danube and the Sulina Canal. The ports of Reni and Izmail depend not only on the water depths directly at the Ukrainian berths but also on the condition of the entire Lower Danube route. As the Danube Commission notes, a single shallow section can become a “weak link” and restrict traffic along the entire international corridor.
Silting also complicates the transport of Ukrainian grain by barge to Constanta, Romania. A reduction in the load capacity of a single barge means that more vessels must be deployed to transport the same volume of cargo. This increases freight rates, transshipment costs, and the risk of fines for vessel downtime.
The third risk is the simultaneous decline in the reliability of the two main maritime routes. The ports of Greater Odessa are currently operating more slowly due to terminal congestion and delays in loading ships, while the Danube—which is supposed to serve as a backup route—faces a natural limitation on its throughput capacity.
This factor becomes particularly critical during the arrival of the new grain harvest. Rising logistics costs could lower purchase prices within Ukraine, delay the fulfillment of export contracts, and widen the price gap between Ukrainian ports and the global market.
On June 24, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority began operational dredging in the waters of the Port of Izmail. The work is intended to restore the design depths near the berths and allow for the maximum possible draft and cargo capacity of vessels. It was planned to be completed within two months.
However, dredging within the Ukrainian port alone cannot fully compensate for the drop in water levels in the Romanian and transboundary sections of the Danube. To maintain stable traffic flow, Ukraine and Romania will need to work in sync, promptly mark the fairway, conduct regular depth soundings, dredge critical sections, and regulate vessel queues.
The Ministry of Infrastructure had previously identified dredging as one of the main “bottlenecks” in Danube logistics and discussed with the European Commission and Romania the coordination of traffic, the use of the PRIMUS digital system, and measures to address a potential reduction in the capacity of the Odessa-Danube route.
The Danube ports remain a strategic reserve for Ukraine’s foreign trade.
After the start of the full-scale war, their throughput capacity was increased to 35 million metric tons per year. However, actual transshipment volumes fell from 17.4 million metric tons in 2024 to 8.9 million metric tons in 2025, and authorities had previously forecast approximately 5 million metric tons for 2026.
The current increase in grain ship traffic indicates that businesses are ready to quickly return to the Danube route should problems arise in the Greater Odessa area. However, record-low water levels in the river may prevent the ports from fully accommodating this additional traffic, potentially turning the rerouting of cargo by rail into a new logistical bottleneck.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, in collaboration with insurance companies, the agribusiness sector, and relevant government agencies, is developing additional mechanisms for insurance protection of port logistics and agricultural products against military risks, the ministry’s press service reported.
Taras Vysotsky, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, noted that the extent of damage to port infrastructure, logistics facilities, and agricultural products resulting from the recent massive attacks requires further improvement of existing support mechanisms.
“Maritime exports are critical for Ukraine’s agricultural sector and economy. Amid intensifying Russian attacks, businesses must have clear and accessible protection tools,” the minister’s press service quoted him as saying.
Meeting participants paid particular attention to state mechanisms for supporting businesses in the area of military risk insurance, which are implemented by the Export-Credit Agency of Ukraine.
Currently, companies can take advantage of two instruments. The first is partial compensation for the cost of property damaged or destroyed as a result of armed aggression by the Russian Federation. The maximum compensation amount is up to 30 million hryvnias for companies operating in 10 high-risk regions.
The second instrument is compensation for insurance premiums under military risk insurance policies. The state compensates for the portion of the insurance cost exceeding 1% of the insurance rate, up to 3 million UAH, which allows businesses to significantly reduce the cost of insuring their production assets.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy noted that the stable operation of the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor is critically important for the agricultural sector, as it ensures the export of products, foreign currency inflows to the budget, and supports global food security. Since the corridor opened in August 2023, 209 million metric tons of cargo have been exported through Ukrainian ports, of which 123 million metric tons were grain products.
Agricultural exports, INSURANCE, MINISTRY OF AGRARIAN POLICY, of which 123 million metric tons were grain products., PORT, PORTS, ЭКА
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) shipping group, headquartered in Geneva and one of the world’s largest, has acquired a 51% stake in the TIS container terminal at the Port of Pivdennyi, according to a report by Latifundist citing data from YouControl.
According to YouControl data, the largest beneficial owners of TIS are MSC owners Diego and Alexa Aponte, each holding 25.5%.
In March of this year, it was reported that global container operator DP World sold its stake in the TIS container terminal nearly six years after acquiring it; the TIS Group bought it back.
According to DP World’s annual report, it owned a 51% stake in TIS Container Terminal Limited, listed as a multipurpose terminal.
According to YouControl, other owners and beneficiaries of the TIS container terminal include Alexey Fedorichev and his “Fedkom Invest SAM” – 18.375%, Oleg Kutateladze – 9.19%, and brothers Yegor Grebennikov and Andrey Stavnitser – 11.72% and 9.72%, respectively.
Viktor Berestenko, President of the Association of International Freight Forwarders of Ukraine, confirmed this information in a comment to Latifundist and noted that MSC’s arrival could, to some extent, intensify competition among container terminals and provide a boost to the development of port infrastructure in Ukraine.
As reported in May 2025, Medlog, a subsidiary of MSC, acquired from Grebennikov a 50% stake in the intermodal logistics operator N’UNIT and a 25% stake in the cross-border terminal “Mostiska.”
In 2024, MSC announced the completion of a deal to acquire a 49.9% stake in the German logistics group Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), which operates the Odessa Container Terminal (OCT).
The TIS Terminal Group is the largest stevedoring operator in Ukraine. The group comprises five terminals: “TIS-Container Terminal,” “TIS-Coal,” “TIS-Ore,” “TIS-Grain,” and “TIS-Mineral Fertilizers.” The group also owns and operates the largest infrastructure network, which includes a railway station.
According to information on the TIS Group website, the container terminal is the longest (600 m) and deepest (15 m) container terminal in the country. Its container handling capacity is 8 million tons/400,000 TEU per year. In 2021, Maersk consolidated all of its port calls in Ukraine at this terminal.
According to data from the YouControl system, the revenue of Pivdennyi Container Terminal LLC in 2025 decreased by 24.8% to 840.78 million UAH, while net profit fell by 2.8 times to 208.35 million UAH.
