logistics

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.

Danube ports remain an important alternative route for Ukrainian exports during the war. At the same time, the transportation market in the region is changing rapidly. It is affected by war risks, the new tariff policy on the Sulina Canal, and the general situation on the freight market.

During the high-level meeting in the QUAD format in Brussels, the parties discussed the protection of critical infrastructure and the development of alternative routes.

The route, about 800 km long, became the first example of using electric freight transport in Ukrainian grain logistics.

In Stockholm, the parties signed an agreement on the establishment of a special fund to support the International Transport Forum.

Kernel stated that the company was the first on the market to implement electronic freight and transport invoices (eTTN) in its logistics on a large scale and digitized the work of 1,000 carriers.

The cold is slowing down the delivery of grain to ports, so traders are raising rates to speed up shipments.

The Suez Canal, which for decades was an important part of the trade route between Asia and Europe, is no longer a sustainable solution. Despite the formal decrease in military activity in the Red Sea, the shipping market has not returned to its pre-crisis logic.

In turn, the market is now experiencing planning uncertainty, with which carriers enter 2026. USM tells what challenges await the industry in 2026 and what Ukrainian logisticians advise to do.

At the start of the year, farmers held back sales, logistics were hampered by weather and shelling, and port disruptions created a grain shortage.

Grain exports through the western border crossings are suitable for oilseeds, but show problems with corn and wheat.