Due to the suspension of container line calls to Greater Odesa ports, import cargo for Ukraine is being massively redirected to the Romanian port of Constanta. Changing the discharge port requires making four mandatory corrections to the bill of lading, which takes an average of 4–5 working days. To preserve logistics, importers need to account in advance for new port fees, shorter free storage periods, and queues at the land border. This is reported by USM — ports and shipping, the portal PromPolitInform reports.
Due to intensifying shelling of port infrastructure, container operators Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC, and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended ship calls to the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk. Maritime cargo destined for Ukraine is being unloaded in Romania and transported further overland. According to SafeLogic founder Oleksandr Tsurkan, the base ocean freight rate for already booked cargo remains unchanged, but additional costs for local fees, storage, and delivery arise in Constanta.
To release the cargo, Romanian customs requires four corrections to be made to the bill of lading. It is necessary to change the discharge port to Constanta, add a transit remark regarding destination in Ukraine, indicate the forwarder’s note in the consignee column, and specify the house bill of lading number within the master bill. The entire documentation procedure takes up to 4–5 working days, so it should be started immediately after notification of the route change.
Features of Clearance and Costs in the Port of Constanta
Importers should keep in mind that loading and unloading tariffs and local fees in Romania are generally higher than Ukrainian ones. In addition, Constanta has shorter free storage periods for cargo, and demurrage and detention rates are more substantial. The clearance and removal of containers must be planned before the vessel’s arrival to avoid penalty charges for downtime.
Delivery of cargo to Ukraine is carried out by road or rail. The road route passes through the Orlivka — Isaccha ferry crossing, which is currently operating at maximum capacity. Due to the limited throughput of the ferries on the Romanian side, queues occur, so road delivery times must be calculated with an additional margin.
Alternative Routes and Impact on Future Freight
The railway method of container removal does not depend on the crossing in Orlivka. For instance, Maersk has introduced a temporary rail service between Constanta and terminals in Kyiv, Odesa, and Ternopil, which will operate until October 1, 2026, and includes the cost of T1 transit documents in the overall rate.
The forced extension of vessel routes leads to delays in fleet turnover and a shortage of tonnage in the market. Although this does not change the cost of already arranged shipments, importers will have to budget for new bookings in the coming months at higher freight rates.
Photo: USM — ports and shipping
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