After a hiatus of over two years following Russia’s invasion, container ships are once again docking at Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea. Hapag-Lloyd, a major shipping company, has reinstated Odesa in its operational network, facilitated by Iteris Feeder vessels. This revival comes after container connections to Ukrainian seaports were halted due to the outbreak of full-scale conflict in February 2022, which saw Russian military assaults on Ukrainian port infrastructure, crippling the country’s economy and threatening global grain supplies.
In July 2022, a tripartite agreement involving Russia was reached to transport grain from Ukrainian ports, but it collapsed a year later amid Russian threats against merchant ships. However, Ukrainian military successes in the Black Sea forced the Russian Navy to retreat, establishing a secure transport corridor to Odesa along the western shore. While attempts were made earlier this year to renegotiate a grain agreement with Russia, Kyiv withdrew from the talks, deeming such an agreement unnecessary.
The resumption of bulk carrier operations in Ukrainian ports has spurred container shipping interests to return to the region. This weekend marks a milestone as Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd becomes the first container carrier to revisit Odesa in over two years, leveraging Iteris Feeder’s Odesa-Romania connection. Additionally, there are speculations that MSC might follow suit with a feeder service, although a final decision is pending. Notably, Iteris Feeder recently introduced two smaller vessels with a capacity of 373 and 381 TEU, facilitating a four to five-day round trip between Odesa and Constanta.