ACC calls on international partners to strengthen protection of Ukrainian ports

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (ACC) calls on international partners to urgently strengthen air and maritime defenses over Ukraine, including the Odesa region and the critical Black Sea port infrastructure.

The appeal notes that Russia continues to destroy and humiliate American businesses in Ukraine. The latest missile and drone attacks by the enemy, directed at Ukraine and the Odesa region:

• led to injuries and deaths of port workers and ship crews;
• damaged ports, energy facilities, grain silos and commercial vessels;
• reduced the operation of terminals by up to 50%, some of them are stopped, most are running on generators;
• caused large-scale power outages and additional costs for the use of generators;
• damaged power plants and power grids that require urgent repair;
• limited rail connections to ports;
• caused commercial vessels to be grounded and demurrage charges levied.

The ACC noted that the current situation carries a direct risk of disrupting global food and commodity supply chains, with far-reaching consequences for international markets and food security, including rising food prices and worsening hunger in vulnerable countries.

“It is difficult to assess the real-time losses of grain and oilseed exporters, but they are currently estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of US dollars per month. Without significant strengthening of air and maritime defense systems, both Ukrainian and international businesses will face critical operational challenges, including the inability to charter vessels and obtain insurance coverage for vessels, crews and cargo,” the statement said.

The Chamber calls on international partners to urgently strengthen Ukraine’s air and maritime defenses to preserve civilian lives, ensure the security of critical infrastructure, ports, and the continuity of global trade and food supply chains.

Tags: war