New Grain Supply Schemes: AsstrA's Recipe

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the country’s supply chain participants have been forced to adjust to new realities. For some cargo types, transit flows can be redirected around inaccessible areas; for others, delivery schemes must be completely revised.    

The most disrupted – and most globally significant – cargo flows remain those of Ukrainian grain. Due to the blockade of the port of Odessa, it is no longer safe to rely on multimodal delivery schemes with shipment by grain carrier to Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and then reloading to sea vessels.

Representatives of a number of countries, associations, and non-governmental organizations have been working together for many months to find an international solution to this problem.

At the end of 2022, Ukrainian authorities launched Grain from Ukraine, a humanitarian food effort. With the support of governmental agencies, NGOs, and private businesses, Ukrainian grain will be delivered to African countries, whose residents are in great need of wheat. Alternative transportation schemes are being considered for commercial buyers from other parts of the world.

“AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine. Since the first day of the invasion, our team of specialists has been diligently reconfiguring trade lanes to ensure that our clients’ goods get delivered. Our comprehensive logistics toolkit includes a solution for alternative grain delivery schemes,” says Mark Risenberg, Integrated Solutions Manager at AsstrA. “Multimodal transportation by grain carriers from Ukraine and further transshipment to ships in Baltic ports remains the best approach.”

In addition to deliveries by specialized transport, multimodal schemes are possible through the Port of Varna in Bulgaria and – depending on suitability for a given trade lane –  the seaports of Istanbul, Rotterdam, or Koper with reloading at a bulk terminal in Poland

For traders, the AsstrA team has developed a cargo delivery scheme using the company’s own warehouse in Blonie, Poland.

“Each of the transport options we provide has both advantages and nuances that are important to consider when planning shipments. We take an individual approach to meeting the unique requirements that come with every customer request,” sums up Mark Risenberg.