Ukrainian ports handled 42.4 million tonnes of cargo in 1H2026

Agricultural produce accounted for the bulk of the freight traffic

Ukrainian seaports handled 42.4 million tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2026. This is according to a statement from the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA).

During the same period last year, the figure stood at around 40 million tonnes.

Agricultural produce accounted for the bulk of cargo traffic in January–June — 23.6 million tonnes (+20 per cent year-on-year).

At the same time, the Russian Federation continues to carry out systematic strikes on civilian port infrastructure, the USPA notes. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 1,002 port infrastructure facilities have been damaged or partially destroyed, 221 civilian vessels have been damaged, and 283 civilians have been injured.

The attacks became particularly intense in July. In the first two weeks of the month alone, Russian forces carried out 23 strikes on Ukrainian ports and 17 attacks on civilian vessels.

At the same time, as noted by Interfax-Ukraine, citing information from the Ministry of Development, the volume of shipments via the Ukrainian maritime corridor has declined since the end of June. Since the corridor began operating in September 2023, the volume of transhipment, according to the ministry’s data as of 15 July, has exceeded 208 million tonnes.

Previously reported volumes as at the following dates were:

• 4 June – over 205 million tonnes,
• 26 June – 200 million tonnes,
• 21 May – over 197 million tonnes,
• 20 April – over 190 million tonnes,
• 23 January – 168.9 million tonnes.

A comparison of the data, the agency notes, suggests a slight deterioration in the trend of shipments via the maritime corridor since the end of June 2026, which coincided with an intensification of Russian attacks. Whilst in all previous periods this year, average daily shipments ranged from 0.21 million to 0.24 million tonnes, in the most recent period since the end of June, the figure stood at 0.16 million tonnes.

It should be recalled that last year, Ukraine’s seaports handled 82.2 million tonnes of cargo. The planned cargo throughput for 2025 was 86.2 million tonnes; the actual result represents over 95 per cent of the target. The forecast cargo throughput (81.77 million tonnes) was exceeded by 100.5 per cent.