Oleg Grygoriuk's voice wavers as he recounts the changed reality at Ukraine's Black Sea ports. As leader of the Marine Transport Workers Union, Grygoriuk has weathered many maritime crises in his years in the industry. Yet the unrelenting Russian assaults since 2023 have introduced a new level of fear. He believes the danger in the ports now exceeds what those on the front lines face. 'Being in the port is more terrifying than being on the front line,' he says, staring at the cranes that once loaded grain onto ships but now remain still and empty. 'A missile flies from Crimea within a minute,' Grygoriuk explains, noting that workers often have no time to reach shelter. There's literally no time to do that.' Ukraine's port administration reports 57 Russian attacks on civilian vessels in July alone, with 22 at sea and 67 more strikes on port infrastructure.
Human toll of war
Svitlana Halchenko bears visible scars from the missile strike that hit the Odesa port in April. Shrapnel remains in her leg and back, causing her to walk with a limp. The explosion killed her crane operator, a man she called 'my partner,' and another worker who died in his vehicle. Despite the physical and emotional pain, the Ukrainian warehouse manager still visits the ruined docks daily, pushing through the eerie silence that now replaces the usual cargo activity. 'My crane operator, my partner, died five metres from me... The driver remained in the cabin. He also died,' she recalls with visible emotion, her fingers gripping a tissue as she tries to hold back tears. Her distress is clear as she gazes into the distance, her eyes brimming. People are very tense.'
Odesa's once-busy harbor is now a quiet shell of its former self, with far fewer ships willing to dock due to high risks. Maritime insurance has become more costly, and most shipowners have stopped navigating the Black Sea. Two damaged cargo vessels sit in the harbor, their bridges blackened and crew quarters in ruins. During our visit, only one freighter approached the port. Military authorities allowed the visit only under strict conditions: the facility's name could not be mentioned, and no sensitive material could be filmed. This secrecy aims to prevent Russia from learning the extent of damage or gaining information to aid future attacks. The port's former constant hum is now gone, replaced by silence. Hundreds of meters of berths remain empty, and towering gantry cranes stand still as a small crew does maintenance.
Impact on port operations
A senior port manager, who chose to remain anonymous, reflects on the UN-facilitated grain deal that once provided some stability to the region. The 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative created safe maritime routes for Ukrainian agricultural exports after Russian blockades disrupted global food supplies. However, when Moscow pulled out of the agreement in the middle of 2023, it did more than break the terms. 'They began attacking,' the manager says, looking at the idle cranes and the imminent threat of missiles from Crimea within minutes. 'There was a deal,' he says, referencing the UN-brokered initiative. Today they do it systematically.' He recalls how the port was once filled with activity, with ships queuing for berths even at sea. Now, the port is open in name only, as commercial ships avoid it due to the risks. 'My heart is broken,' he says. 'Normally there's a queue, even out at sea, waiting for a berth.'
Ongoing threats and uncertainty
During our visit, a Russian Shahed drone flew overhead, forcing us to quickly find shelter. Dock workers checked their phones for updates on the incoming threat before returning to the minimal operation, where cranes remain idle and piers stand empty. The manager estimates the port operates for only nine hours a day due to the constant attacks. 'There's constant tension now,' Svitlana says, her hands gripping a tissue as she remembers the colleagues who died just meters away from her. Her voice falters, and tears well up behind her glasses as she tries to stay composed. Svitlana keeps a brave face throughout our conversation, but her pain is evident. She says the situation has worsened. People are very tense.'
