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Maersk announced that it has suspended its service through the fishing port of Chornomorsk, Ukraine. The announcement comes after Russia intensified its attacks against Kyiv's maritime export routes.
The Danish shipping company is the second major company to halt its operations in Chornomorsk this month, after Ukraine's main grain mover, Kernel Holding, recently suspended its activities at the city's main port facility due to a series of Russian aggressions.
Without directly referring to the Russian attacks, Maersk stated in a communiqué that, due to the current situation affecting its operations, it was impossible for them to continue providing service to Ukraine through the fishing port of Chornomorsk.
"Therefore, our service through the fishing port of Chornomorsk is temporarily suspended until further notice," the shipping company stated.
Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine's maritime export routes throughout the war, but assaults against cargo ships and deep-water ports - which handle much of the country's grain - have intensified in recent weeks.
Moscow maintains that its attacks are aimed at fuel storage infrastructure and military cargo.
Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure declared that the deep-water port of Chornomorsk (with an independent operator), in the Black Sea, as well as other port facilities in the Greater Odesa area, continued to operate.
Maersk noted that a vessel, originally scheduled to unload at the fishing port, will be diverted to Constanta (Romania), as will all other import shipments destined for Chornomorsk.
Ukraine, which previously accounted for about 6% of global wheat exports and about 11% of corn exports, has lost approximately one-third of its capacity to export grain through its Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and drone attacks, commercial operators and analysts said.
Ukraine has also been attacking vessels in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea as it seeks to isolate Crimea and weaken Moscow's war effort.
