Articles

USM spoke with Henri Petrosyan, director of the logistics company LUKRO, about how Ukrainian logistics has gone from collapse to adaptation, how approaches to transportation planning have changed, how political decisions affect routes, and what role practical experience plays in this.

The Ukrainian logistics business enters 2026 with new rules of the game — from stricter customs regulations to security risks that have already become part of the operational reality. These challenges and practical approaches to solving them were discussed by the participants of Freight Forwarders Updates 2026 in Odesa.

Foreign partners and experts are interested not only in cooperation, but also in studying the experience of the Ukrainian port industry, which operates and develops in conditions of war.

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.

Despite the challenges posed by a full-scale invasion, Ukraine remains a leading maritime power. Every year, thousands of Ukrainian seafarers set sail, sign contracts with foreign companies, and work under various flags. Along with the prospects of professional growth, they face risks such as fraud, labor exploitation, and human trafficking.