Russia reorients grain to Arctic port of Murmansk
13.10.2026 - 13:32
Russian exporters are developing the new route against the backdrop of problems with traditional grain export routes across the Black Sea.
In October 2026, Russia first sent grain for export through the Arctic port of Murmansk. The first batch is 40 thousand tons of wheat from the Stavropol Territory, Russian media report.
The potential grain transshipment volumes in Murmansk are estimated at 60–90 thousand tons per month, or approximately 0.7–1.1 million tons per year. For comparison, 46.3 million tons of grain were previously exported through the ports of the Azov-Black Sea basin. So even with full capacity utilization, Murmansk will be able to provide only a small part of these volumes.
The main logistical problem of the new route is the need to transport grain by rail from the southern regions of Russia thousands of kilometers to the Arctic. In addition, the port must adapt the infrastructure for grain transshipment.
At the same time, grain delivery to Murmansk is 3–5 times more expensive than through southern ports. USM previously reported that Russian companies have begun re-equipping terminals for fertilizers, coal, and other cargo in Baltic and Arctic ports for grain exports.
