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The world of ocean shipping, freight, maritime, logistics, supply chain, and trade is a complex world with stakeholders having to navigate a quagmire of processes, documents, regulations, and standards.. Many users in these industries often struggle to get the correct, useful, and latest information like regulations, and guidelines and know which key industry bodies they must look to for reference and guidance.. As this site is THE DEFINITIVE […]

In April 2024, Ukraine exported an unprecedented 6.6 million tons of grain and oilseed, the highest volume since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to a report by UK intelligence on May 22.  This demonstrates Ukraine’s ability to export unilaterally via its shipping corridor in the Black Sea, the analysts said. The throughput capacity of the Black Sea ports reached a monthly export volume higher […]

The Black Sea container market has undergone significant disruption, with Ukraine at the forefront of these changes. Prior to the Russian invasion, Ukraine boasted the highest container volumes among Black Sea countries, with an estimated turnover of over 1 million TEU per year according to local analytical company Informall BG. However, the Russian invasion and subsequent port blockades in 2022-2023 forced Ukraine to halt container […]

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has inflicted massive damages and losses on Ukrainian agriculture and terminated or even reversed the growth of the last twenty years. This article makes an interim assessment of the financial consequences of the war-related damages and losses in Ukrainian agriculture. The assessment is performed based on data from regular monitoring by the Kyiv School of Economics. The estimated damages […]

Before the war, Ukrainian agriculture produced 10% of GDP, employed 14% of the labor force andaccounted for 41% of total exports. Ukraine has gradually become a major global supplier of agricultural commodities over the past twodecades. Before the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine supplied about 50% and almost two-thirds ofworld exports of sunflower oil and meal respectively. The main destinations were China (48%), the EU(25%) and […]

Constanța, Romania (Ports Europe) March 12, 2024 – The Romanian Government has approved a key infrastructure project to expand the southern sector of Constanta Port. The expansion project will include new terminals, access roads, and utilities in the region. According to Transport Minister Sorin Grindeanu, the project is estimated to cost around 1.12 billion euros ($1.22 billion). He said it would enable the port to […]

Insight Focus On February 24, 2022, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia marked a significant escalation of the eight-year conflict between the countries and a historic turning point for European security. For international shipping, this has meant disruptions to global trade and increasingly limited trading capabilities with Russia as stronger sanctions come into play, especially those imposed by the European Union (EU). Two years on, […]

Astana, Kazakhstan (Ports Europe) February 13, 2024 – A pool of investment projects worth more than $31 billion in the fields of railway, sea, aviation and road transport has been set up by Kazakhstan. According to the Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastaev, about $40 billion is needed for the transport infrastructure in the next few years to implement all pending projects, including increasing the transit […]

The maritime and shipping industry facilitates the movement of goods across continents. In addition to risks that are inherent to the industry, this critical sector faces other significant challenges and risks that are part of the global landscape. These global risks have been highlighted in the “Global Risks Report 2024” by the World Economic Forum. This report sheds light on various threats, from environmental changes […]

I have drawn attention to the fact that the “authorities” are closing in on sub-standard vessels in the past. This was discussed openly at our AGM in Malta. Port State interventions have improved the quality of Commercial Shipping, but we should not ignore “Climate Control“ and the drive to reduce carbonemissions. Rules on the quality of vessels, and their polluting propulsion systems, are being tightened […]