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Russia ends Black Sea Grain Initiative participation and strikes Ukrainian ports

Russia ends Black Sea Grain Initiative participation and strikes Ukrainian ports. The disruption ran from 2023-07-17 (17 July 2023) to 2023-08-16 (16 August 2023), 31 days, affecting Odessa, Chornomorsk, Izmail, Reni. Odessa averaged 0.1 calls per day during the event window against an expected 0.1 (+0.0). Chornomorsk averaged 0.0 calls per day during the event window against an expected 0.4 (-0.4).

World Freight Monitor permanent record. https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/grain-deal-exit-odesa-port-attacks-2023/. Record last updated 2026-09-16.

Key facts

Started
2023-07-17 (17 July 2023)
Ended
2023-08-16 (16 August 2023)
Status
ended
Severity
3 Significant
Scope
regional
Chokepoints
None
Lanes
None
Countries
Ukraine
Confidence
medium: The start date and the strikes on port facilities are documented by United Nations sources, while the end date rests on the first departure through Ukraine's own corridor as announced by Ukrainian authorities and reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
First reported
2023-07-17 (17 July 2023)
  • Severity basis: Port closure of 7 days or more; grain exports through the Black Sea corridor stopped at Odesa and Chornomorsk from 2023-07-17 until a first departure on 2023-08-16.

What happened

On 2023-07-17 (17 July 2023) the Russian Federation ended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative and withdrew its security guarantees for navigation in the north western Black Sea, which stopped grain exports through the corridor serving Odesa and Chornomorsk. Strikes on port and grain infrastructure at Odesa and Chornomorsk followed from 2023-07-18, and Danube river ports used as an alternative route, including Izmail and Reni, were struck from 2023-08-02. A senior United Nations official told the Security Council that port infrastructure at Odesa and Mykolaiv was being targeted and that more than 60,000 tonnes of grain had been destroyed. Ukraine opened its own corridor, and the first civilian ship left Odesa on 2023-08-16 (16 August 2023).

Measured effect

Port calls, Odessa

Baseline (expected)
0.1 calls per day
Observed
0.1 calls per day
Change
+0.0 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
+0.0
Event window
2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16 (31 days)
Baseline window
2023-05-15 to 2023-07-09 (56 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:e4f08c4f8831
Port calls, OdessaPort calls, Odessa, 2023-05-08 (8 May 2023) to 2023-09-27 (27 September 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-09 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-21, with a mean of 0.2 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-09-27, was 0 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.0.00.51.01.52.02023-05-082023-07-182023-09-27
Port calls, Odessa, 2023-05-08 (8 May 2023) to 2023-09-27 (27 September 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-09 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-21, with a mean of 0.2 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-09-27, was 0 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Port calls, Odessa (calls per day).
Datecalls per day
2023-05-081
2023-05-090
2023-05-100
2023-05-110
2023-05-120
2023-05-130
2023-05-140
2023-05-150
2023-05-160
2023-05-170
2023-05-180
2023-05-190
2023-05-200
2023-05-212
2023-05-221
2023-05-232
2023-05-240
2023-05-251
2023-05-261
2023-05-270
2023-05-281
2023-05-292
2023-05-301
2023-05-312
2023-06-010
2023-06-021
2023-06-030
2023-06-040
2023-06-050
2023-06-060
2023-06-070
2023-06-081
2023-06-090
2023-06-100
2023-06-110
2023-06-120
2023-06-130
2023-06-140
2023-06-151
2023-06-160
2023-06-170
2023-06-180
2023-06-190
2023-06-200
2023-06-210
2023-06-220
2023-06-230
2023-06-240
2023-06-251
2023-06-260
2023-06-270
2023-06-280
2023-06-291
2023-06-302
2023-07-010
2023-07-020
2023-07-030
2023-07-040
2023-07-050
2023-07-060
2023-07-070
2023-07-080
2023-07-090
2023-07-100
2023-07-110
2023-07-120
2023-07-130
2023-07-140
2023-07-150
2023-07-160
2023-07-170
2023-07-180
2023-07-190
2023-07-200
2023-07-211
2023-07-220
2023-07-230
2023-07-240
2023-07-250
2023-07-260
2023-07-270
2023-07-280
2023-07-290
2023-07-300
2023-07-311
2023-08-010
2023-08-020
2023-08-030
2023-08-040
2023-08-050
2023-08-060
2023-08-070
2023-08-080
2023-08-090
2023-08-100
2023-08-111
2023-08-120
2023-08-130
2023-08-140
2023-08-150
2023-08-160
2023-08-170
2023-08-180
2023-08-190
2023-08-200
2023-08-210
2023-08-220
2023-08-230
2023-08-241
2023-08-250
2023-08-260
2023-08-270
2023-08-280
2023-08-290
2023-08-300
2023-08-310
2023-09-010
2023-09-020
2023-09-030
2023-09-040
2023-09-050
2023-09-060
2023-09-070
2023-09-080
2023-09-090
2023-09-100
2023-09-110
2023-09-120
2023-09-130
2023-09-140
2023-09-150
2023-09-160
2023-09-170
2023-09-180
2023-09-190
2023-09-200
2023-09-210
2023-09-220
2023-09-230
2023-09-240
2023-09-250
2023-09-260
2023-09-270

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Port calls, Chornomorsk

Baseline (expected)
0.4 calls per day
Observed
0.0 calls per day
Change
-0.4 (percent omitted, baseline too small)
Standardised score
-0.4
Event window
2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16 (31 days)
Baseline window
2023-05-15 to 2023-07-09 (56 valid days)
Method
wfm-effect-1.0
Computed
2026-09-19 (19 September 2026), data revision 1:d924549c3efd
Port calls, ChornomorskPort calls, Chornomorsk, 2023-05-08 (8 May 2023) to 2023-09-27 (27 September 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-08 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-22, with a mean of 0.2 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-09-27, was 0 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.0.00.51.01.52.02023-05-082023-07-182023-09-27
Port calls, Chornomorsk, 2023-05-08 (8 May 2023) to 2023-09-27 (27 September 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-08 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-22, with a mean of 0.2 calls per day. The latest value, for 2023-09-27, was 0 calls per day. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Port calls, Chornomorsk (calls per day).
Datecalls per day
2023-05-080
2023-05-090
2023-05-100
2023-05-110
2023-05-120
2023-05-130
2023-05-140
2023-05-150
2023-05-160
2023-05-170
2023-05-180
2023-05-190
2023-05-200
2023-05-210
2023-05-222
2023-05-231
2023-05-241
2023-05-252
2023-05-260
2023-05-271
2023-05-280
2023-05-292
2023-05-301
2023-05-312
2023-06-011
2023-06-021
2023-06-031
2023-06-040
2023-06-050
2023-06-060
2023-06-071
2023-06-080
2023-06-090
2023-06-101
2023-06-112
2023-06-120
2023-06-131
2023-06-141
2023-06-150
2023-06-160
2023-06-172
2023-06-181
2023-06-191
2023-06-200
2023-06-210
2023-06-221
2023-06-231
2023-06-240
2023-06-250
2023-06-262
2023-06-270
2023-06-282
2023-06-291
2023-06-300
2023-07-010
2023-07-020
2023-07-030
2023-07-040
2023-07-050
2023-07-061
2023-07-070
2023-07-080
2023-07-090
2023-07-100
2023-07-110
2023-07-120
2023-07-130
2023-07-140
2023-07-150
2023-07-160
2023-07-170
2023-07-180
2023-07-190
2023-07-200
2023-07-210
2023-07-220
2023-07-230
2023-07-240
2023-07-250
2023-07-260
2023-07-270
2023-07-280
2023-07-290
2023-07-300
2023-07-310
2023-08-010
2023-08-020
2023-08-030
2023-08-040
2023-08-050
2023-08-060
2023-08-070
2023-08-080
2023-08-090
2023-08-100
2023-08-110
2023-08-120
2023-08-130
2023-08-140
2023-08-150
2023-08-160
2023-08-170
2023-08-180
2023-08-190
2023-08-200
2023-08-210
2023-08-220
2023-08-230
2023-08-240
2023-08-250
2023-08-260
2023-08-270
2023-08-280
2023-08-290
2023-08-300
2023-08-310
2023-09-010
2023-09-020
2023-09-030
2023-09-040
2023-09-050
2023-09-060
2023-09-070
2023-09-080
2023-09-090
2023-09-100
2023-09-110
2023-09-120
2023-09-130
2023-09-140
2023-09-150
2023-09-162
2023-09-170
2023-09-180
2023-09-190
2023-09-200
2023-09-210
2023-09-220
2023-09-230
2023-09-240
2023-09-250
2023-09-260
2023-09-270

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Replay

Replay: Port calls, OdessaPort calls, Odessa, 2023-05-18 (18 May 2023) to 2023-08-16 (16 August 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-18 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-21. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.011222023-05-182023-08-16
Port calls, Odessa, 2023-05-18 (18 May 2023) to 2023-08-16 (16 August 2023): values ranged from 0 calls per day on 2023-05-18 to 2 calls per day on 2023-05-21. The shaded band marks the event window, 2023-07-17 to 2023-08-16.

Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms. Retrieved 2026-11-10 (10 November 2026).

Port calls, Odessa (calls per day), daily values shown in the replay.
Datecalls per day
2023-05-180
2023-05-190
2023-05-200
2023-05-212
2023-05-221
2023-05-232
2023-05-240
2023-05-251
2023-05-261
2023-05-270
2023-05-281
2023-05-292
2023-05-301
2023-05-312
2023-06-010
2023-06-021
2023-06-030
2023-06-040
2023-06-050
2023-06-060
2023-06-070
2023-06-081
2023-06-090
2023-06-100
2023-06-110
2023-06-120
2023-06-130
2023-06-140
2023-06-151
2023-06-160
2023-06-170
2023-06-180
2023-06-190
2023-06-200
2023-06-210
2023-06-220
2023-06-230
2023-06-240
2023-06-251
2023-06-260
2023-06-270
2023-06-280
2023-06-291
2023-06-302
2023-07-010
2023-07-020
2023-07-030
2023-07-040
2023-07-050
2023-07-060
2023-07-070
2023-07-080
2023-07-090
2023-07-100
2023-07-110
2023-07-120
2023-07-130
2023-07-140
2023-07-150
2023-07-160
2023-07-170
2023-07-180
2023-07-190
2023-07-200
2023-07-211
2023-07-220
2023-07-230
2023-07-240
2023-07-250
2023-07-260
2023-07-270
2023-07-280
2023-07-290
2023-07-300
2023-07-311
2023-08-010
2023-08-020
2023-08-030
2023-08-040
2023-08-050
2023-08-060
2023-08-070
2023-08-080
2023-08-090
2023-08-100
2023-08-111
2023-08-120
2023-08-130
2023-08-140
2023-08-150
2023-08-160

This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.

Timeline

  1. The United Nations Secretary-General says he regrets the Russian Federation's decision to terminate the Black Sea Initiative, including the withdrawal of security guarantees for navigation in the north western Black Sea. [s1]
  2. A senior United Nations official tells the Security Council that port infrastructure at Odesa and Mykolaiv has been targeted since the initiative ended and that more than 60,000 tonnes of grain has been destroyed. [s2]
  3. Drone strikes damage port and grain storage infrastructure at the Danube port of Izmail. The regional authorities reported fires at port and industrial facilities and a damaged elevator. [s3]
  4. A container ship leaves Odesa as the first civilian vessel to use the corridor Ukraine opened after the initiative ended, according to the Ukrainian president and the infrastructure ministry. [s4]

Cause

The Russian Federation ended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 2023-07-17 and withdrew security guarantees for navigation, as stated by the United Nations Secretary-General. Strikes on port facilities were reported to the Security Council by the United Nations and by Ukrainian regional authorities. Attributed by: United Nations Secretary-General. [s1] [s2] [s3]

Resolution

2023-08-16 (16 August 2023): Ukraine opened a corridor of its own and the first civilian ship sailed from Odesa on 2023-08-16, restoring seaborne exports without Russian participation. Strikes on Danube and Black Sea port facilities continued after that date. [s3] [s4]

Corrections

No corrections to this record as of 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026).

Sources

  1. [s1] United Nations, Secretary-General Says Russian Federation Decision to Stop Implementing Black Sea Initiative Will 'Strike a Blow' to Hungry, Hurting People in Need Everywhere, published 2023-07-17 (17 July 2023), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
  2. [s2] United Nations, Attacks on Odesa Port, Grain-Storage Facilities Latest Victims in Moscow's 'Senseless' War against Ukraine, Senior Official Tells Security Council, published 2023-07-21 (21 July 2023), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
  3. [s3] Al Jazeera, Russia targets Odesa port, angering Ukraine and nearby Romania, published 2023-08-02 (2 August 2023), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
  4. [s4] Ukrainska Pravda, First civilian ship goes through Ukraine's new humanitarian corridor - Zelenskyy, published 2023-08-16 (16 August 2023), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)

Cite this record

The address of this record is permanent and a correction is always logged on this page, so a citation names the version you read. Add the date you accessed it.

Plain text

World Freight Monitor. "Russia ends Black Sea Grain Initiative participation and strikes Ukrainian ports." Last updated 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026). https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/grain-deal-exit-odesa-port-attacks-2023/

APA

World Freight Monitor. (2026). Russia ends Black Sea Grain Initiative participation and strikes Ukrainian ports. World Freight Monitor. https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/grain-deal-exit-odesa-port-attacks-2023/

BibTeX

@misc{wfm_grain_deal_exit_odesa_port_attacks_2023,
  author = {{World Freight Monitor}},
  title = {Russia ends Black Sea Grain Initiative participation and strikes Ukrainian ports},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Last updated 2026-09-16},
  url = {https://worldfreightmonitor.com/events/2023/grain-deal-exit-odesa-port-attacks-2023/}
}