Routes have become longer, insurance has become more expensive, and political decisions have turned compliance into a full-fledged operational function – in 2025, these three factors had the strongest impact on freight rates, schedules, and tonnage availability.

USM continues the series of materials about what 2025 was like for global and Ukrainian shipping. This time, we recall the challenges that global carriers faced and what the shipping world will remember about the past year.

Exports of grain and leguminous crops remain critically important for the Ukrainian economy. At the same time, it should be clearly stated: pre-war conditions no longer exist — and we should not expect them to return anytime soon.

Uunsuccessful (fortunately) liquidation of the NABU and the SAPO. The public also actively discussed the “soybean-rapeseed” amendments, the long-term concession of terminals in the port of Chornomorsk, and the risk of removing Medvedchuk’s yacht “Putin’s godfather” from the state control zone.

For the ports of the Odesa region, 2025 was another year of testing. Shelling of infrastructure, changes in tariffs, a partial ban on the import of fertilizers, blackouts and the upcoming concession in the port of Chornomorsk – all this had an impact that shaped the work of the industry throughout the year.

On November 18, in Odesa, the EBA Logistic Talks 2025 brought together leaders of the logistics industry – a closed-sector event organized by the European Business Association (EBA), the Association of International Forwarders of Ukraine (AIFU), and the international law firm Interlegal.

The event, which gathered executives from logistics companies, port representatives, transport operators, HR specialists, and top managers, provided a platform for an open dialogue on the state of the industry, expectations for the coming year, and human capital as the foundation of any business’s stability.

Sea exports in Ukraine are directly related to the agricultural sector, which is increasingly facing numerous challenges every year. War, climate change, logistics problems – all this has an impact on farmers, and subsequently on sea exports and the economy of Ukraine as a whole.