Odesa Region ports fulfill 95 percent of annual cargo turnover plan despite war

Despite the constant shelling and threats to infrastructure, Odesa seaports fulfilled 95% of their annual cargo turnover plan in 2025. This confirms the resilience of the industry and Ukraine's ability to ensure exports even in times of war.

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

According to the Ministry, ports actually handled 82.2 million tons. This exceeds the forecast figure of 81.77 million tons, which was fulfilled by 100.5%. Agricultural products traditionally accounted for the largest share of cargo - 44.2 million tons, which is more than half of the total. Container traffic also grew significantly: in 2025, ports handled 215,748 TEUs compared to 129,902 TEUs in 2024, an increase of 66%.

According to Oleksiy Kuleba, Minister of Communities and Territories Development, seaports are under constant threat but remain a key pillar of the economy, and during the year Ukrainian products were exported to 55 countries.

This once again confirms the resilience of the port industry and Ukraine's ability to operate even in the face of military threats," the Vice Prime Minister emphasized.

According to the ministry, air raids and attacks on infrastructure remained a serious challenge for ports. In Odesa region alone, air raid alerts were sounded more than 800 times, and the total downtime due to security restrictions exceeded one month.

Nevertheless, thanks to the coordinated work of port workers, operators, and stevedoring companies, maritime logistics and export transportation remained uninterrupted, ensuring the stable movement of Ukrainian goods to international markets.

At the same time, the destruction of ports and oil mills in Pivdenne, Chornomorsk, and Dnipro has significantly reduced sunflower oil exports from Ukraine. This has already affected foreign exchange earnings and poses risks to the agricultural sector and the profitability of the upcoming harvest.

In December, Allseeds' port tanks in Pivdenne and the Kernel oil mill in the port of Chornomorsk were hit. On January 5, the Bunge oil mill in Dnipro, known for producing Oleina oil, was shelled, and on January 7, rockets hit facilities in Pivdenne and Chornomorsk.

Анна Бальчінос