Ukraine. Logistics 2024/25 – Greater Odessa ports handling more and more grain

Agricultural exports in August 1-15 totaled 2.7 M mt, up 18% y/y. The export pace is accelerating, so UkrAgroConsult expects the total monthly exports in August to reach 5.2+ M mt.

Agri exports, breakdown by commodity, August 1-15, 2024 to July 1-15, 2024

• 1265 K mt of wheat (+65% compared to 15 days of July, 2024);
• 445 K mt of corn (43% lower compared to July 1-15, 2024)
• 272 K mt of barley (-6%);
• 408 K mt rapeseed (+800%);
• 145 K mt of all meals (+24%);
• 101 K mt of sunflower oil (-51%).

The share of total agricultural exports through the ports of Greater Odesa increased to 79% in August, which is the highest in 2024. The trend of reorientation of grain flows away from the Danube region and the Romanian port of Constanta continues in 2024/25.

In Jan-June 2024, Ukrainian grain exports through the Romanian port of Constanta decreased by almost half down to about 4.24 M mt. In July 380 K mt of Ukrainian grain were shipped from Constanta.

Some companies like Nibulon continue to use the small ports of the Danube river despite the more expensive logistics than in the ports of Odesa. Currently, half of Nibulon’s shipments go through the Black Sea and half through the Danube, where export costs are $6-7 per ton higher.