Hapag-Lloyd announces comprehensive suspension of calls at three major ports
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As security risks in the Black Sea region of Ukraine continue to escalate, international shipping companies have further adjusted regional transportation arrangements.
German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd recently issued a customer notice,Announced that due to the deterioration of the security situation in the Odessa region, its cooperative feeder operators have suspended related port calls, and the company has temporarily suspended feeder transportation services to the three major Black Sea ports in Ukraine.Affected goods may face changes such as port changes, transshipment and additional logistics cost increases, and the relevant costs will be borne by the cargo owner.
Feeder services to three major Black Sea ports suspended
Hapag-Lloyd stated in the notice that due to the security situation in Odessa, Ukraine, its cooperative feeder operators have stopped calling the following Ukrainian Black Sea ports:
Port of Chornomorsk
Port of Odesa
Pivdennyi Port (Pivdennyi, also known as Southern Port)
The above-mentioned branch line connections are currently suspended and the restoration time will be notified separately. Hapag-Lloyd pointed out that due to the temporary inability of relevant port feeder services to operate, cargo originally planned to be destined for these ports may need to be adjusted to other ports for unloading. The specific handling method will be determined one by one based on the cargo status, operational feasibility and local safety assessment results.
Port Reni listed as priority alternative
For affected goods,Hapag-Lloyd is evaluating the Ukrainian port of Reni on the Danube River as a priority alternative unloading location.If operating conditions permit, Hapag-Lloyd will contact relevant customers to confirm follow-up operation arrangements and assist in handling changes to the port of destination. If Reni Port cannot meet the actual transportation demand, Hapag-Lloyd will also provide other alternatives based on different cargo conditions, including changing to Romanian or Polish ports for subsequent transportation.
Hapag-Lloyd emphasized that relevant adjustments will be individually evaluated based on the specific conditions of each shipment and the operating instructions provided by the customer to ensure the pertinence and feasibility of the processing plan.
Additional costs will be borne by the seller
Regarding the additional operating costs caused by the suspension of port services, Hapag-Lloyd stated that it will handle relevant arrangements in accordance with Article 17 of the Bill of Lading Clause "Matters Affecting Performance of the Contract." During the service suspension, the company will do its best to ensure the safety of the affected goods and minimize the impact of transportation interruptions. However,Additional costs incurred due to destination port adjustment, cargo storage, subsequent transportation and other necessary operations will be borne by the cargo stakeholders.
Maersk has previously adjusted its Ukrainian routes
Hapag-Lloyd is not the only liner company to adjust Ukrainian Black Sea services recently. Previously, Maersk had made adjustments to Ukraine's relevant transportation network due to rising security risks in the Black Sea region.
On July 22, Maersk announced that it would indefinitely suspend related route services at the Port of Choronomosk and move some imported goods to the Port of Constanta in Romania for unloading; export goods that have been booked but not yet shipped can apply for cancellation or adjustment of transportation arrangements, and containers that have entered the port can be loaded at the Port of Constanta for continued transportation.
It should be noted that Maersk's adjustment mainly involves the Choronomosk branch line service, and not all ports in Ukraine are completely closed. The Choernomosk deep-water port and some ports around Odessa have previously stated that they will still maintain operations.
Black Sea transportation risks continue to intensify
As the security situation in the Black Sea region continues to evolve, Ukrainian port transportation stability is facing new challenges.
For cargo owners and freight forwarding companies involved in Ukrainian import and export business,At present, it is necessary to pay close attention to the latest notices from shipping companies and evaluate alternative port options, inland transportation connections and possible increased logistics costs in advance.
Industry insiders believe that if regional security risks persist, there will still be great uncertainty about the recovery time of Ukraine's Black Sea routes, and cargo owners should be fully prepared to adjust transportation plans and manage supply chain risks.
