Ukraine refutes reports of shipowners steering clear of its Black Sea ports

Reports in the media suggesting that shipowners are avoiding Ukrainian deepwater ports due to increased Russian attacks are not accurate, according to the press service of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA), responding to Forbes Ukraine. As of January 20, 2026, the number of vessels heading to Ukrainian ports is 9% higher than on the same date last year.

Earlier reports indicated that, at the beginning of last week, a significant number of firm offers were still available in the handysize segment for transporting Ukrainian grain. By midweek, however, market sentiment reportedly shifted, with shipowners becoming more cautious and increasingly refraining from further negotiations.

USPA confirmed that, as of January 20, 9% more vessels had been nominated for entry to the ports of Greater Odessa compared with the same date in 2025. For security reasons, the authority declined to disclose exact vessel traffic figures.

The agency also noted that during the first 19 days of January 2026, the ports processed approximately 2% more vessels than in the same period of December 2025, and over 3% more compared with the same period last year.

Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian seaports have handled 4.16 million tons of cargo, representing a 5% increase compared with January 2025 and roughly 13% more than the same period in December 2025.

Tags: Black Sea grain corridor, war