Data through 2026-09-13 (13 September 2026)
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Ukraine's Black Sea ports close to commercial shipping after the invasion

Ukraine's Black Sea ports close to commercial shipping after the invasion. The disruption ran from 2022-02-24 (24 February 2022) to 2022-08-01 (1 August 2022), 159 days, affecting Odessa, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi, Mariupol. Pivdennyi averaged 0.1 calls per day during the event window against an expected 3.2 (-97.9%). Mariupol averaged 0.1 calls per day during the event window against an expected 1.4 (-1.3). Chornomorsk averaged 0.1 calls per day during the event window against an expected 3.1 (-97.8%). Odessa averaged 0.1 calls per day during the event window against an expected 2.5 (-2.4).

Key facts

Started
2022-02-24 (24 February 2022)
Ended
2022-08-01 (1 August 2022)
Status
ended
Severity
4 Severe
Scope
regional
Chokepoints
None
Lanes
None
Countries
Ukraine
Confidence
medium: The resumption dates and the corridor movements are confirmed by United Nations sources, while the start of the closure rests on trade press reporting from 2022-02-24 and 2022-02-25 rather than a Ukrainian government document.
First reported
2022-02-24 (24 February 2022)
  • Severity basis: Simultaneous stoppage of the principal ports of one country; every Ukrainian Black Sea and Azov Sea port was closed to commercial traffic from 2022-02-24.

What happened

From 2022-02-24 (24 February 2022) commercial shipping stopped at Ukraine's Black Sea and Azov Sea ports after Russia's invasion, and merchant ships and their crews were left in port. The International Maritime Organization Council met in extraordinary session on 2022-03-10 and 2022-03-11 and agreed to encourage a blue safe maritime corridor so that ships and seafarers could leave the area. Grain exports restarted under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed in Istanbul on 2022-07-22, with the first outbound vessel leaving Odesa on 2022-08-01 (1 August 2022). The United Nations said it was the first cargo ship to leave a Ukrainian Black Sea port since 2022-02-26. Movements at Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi followed in August 2022. Mariupol, under Russian control, did not reopen to commercial traffic.

Measured effect

Port calls, Odessa

Baseline (expected)
2.5 calls per day
Observed
0.2 calls per day
Change
-2.4 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
-1.4
Event window
2022-02-24 to 2022-06-23 (120 days)
Baseline window
2021-12-23 to 2022-02-16 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:ae9583ba77d8

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Port calls, Chornomorsk

Baseline (expected)
3.1 calls per day
Observed
0.1 calls per day
Change
-3.0 (-97.8%)
Standardised score
-1.7
Event window
2022-02-24 to 2022-06-23 (120 days)
Baseline window
2021-12-23 to 2022-02-16 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:d5123dcf0361

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Port calls, Pivdennyi

Baseline (expected)
3.2 calls per day
Observed
0.1 calls per day
Change
-3.2 (-97.9%)
Standardised score
-1.8
Event window
2022-02-24 to 2022-06-23 (120 days)
Baseline window
2021-12-23 to 2022-02-16 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:9e06512385fb

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Port calls, Mariupol

Baseline (expected)
1.4 calls per day
Observed
0.1 calls per day
Change
-1.3 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
-0.9
Event window
2022-02-24 to 2022-06-23 (120 days)
Baseline window
2021-12-23 to 2022-02-16 (46 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:d41d3ef041b9

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Timeline

  1. Commercial shipping halts at Ukrainian ports as Russia invades. The Azov Sea closes to commercial traffic, and carriers stop calling at Ukrainian ports. [s1] [s2]
  2. The International Maritime Organization Council, in extraordinary session, says ships should be allowed to sail from Ukrainian ports without threat of attack and backs a blue safe maritime corridor for seafarers. [s3]
  3. The first vessel under the Black Sea Grain Initiative leaves Odesa with 26,527 tonnes of corn for Lebanon. The United Nations says it is the first cargo ship out of a Ukrainian Black Sea port since 2022-02-26. [s4]
  4. The Joint Coordination Centre reports authorised movements for vessels bound for Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, extending the corridor beyond Odesa. [s5]

Cause

Ukrainian authorities suspended commercial shipping at the country's ports after Russia's invasion on 2022-02-24, and Russia closed the Azov Sea to commercial vessels, as reported by Lloyd's List and Ship Technology. Attributed by: Ukrainian authorities as reported by Lloyd's List and Ship Technology. [s1] [s2]

Resolution

2022-08-01 (1 August 2022): Exports resumed through a corridor agreed under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, with the first departure from Odesa on 2022-08-01 and later movements at Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi. Mariupol stayed closed to commercial traffic. [s4] [s5]

Corrections

No corrections to this record as of 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026).

Sources

  1. [s1] Lloyd's List, Sea of Asov closed to shipping as Russia invades Ukraine, published 2022-02-24 (24 February 2022), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
  2. [s2] Ship Technology, Ukrainian ports pause commercial shipping amid Russian invasion, published 2022-02-25 (25 February 2022), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
  3. [s3] International Maritime Organization, Council, 35th Extraordinary Session (C ES 35), published 2022-03-11 (11 March 2022), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
  4. [s4] UN News, Ukraine: Guterres welcomes departure of first grain ship, to help ease food crisis, published 2022-08-01 (1 August 2022), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
  5. [s5] United Nations in Türkiye, Black Sea Grain Initiative Joint Coordination Centre Operational update, published 2022-08-09 (9 August 2022), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)