Maersk has opened a container route to Ukraine via the Romanian port city of Constanta. In Constanta, the containers are transferred to barges, which bring the containers via the Danube Canal to the Ukrainian city of Reni, where they are transferred to trucks.

The connection has a very limited capacity and takes just over 36 hours.

Due to the increased risk of operating in the region, Maersk requires shippers to sign a 'Ukraine clause' when ordering cargo for the route.

"Logistics operations in and around Ukraine remain challenging, but we are pleased to inform you that Maersk is now able to offer direct bookings to Ukraine from all over the world", writes Maersk in an orientation to its customers. Ukraine's Black Sea ports have been closed since Russia launched its war on Ukraine a little over a year ago, with the only exception being the export of grain, which is done through an agreement brokered by the United Nations.