The port of Novorossiysk — Russia's largest by cargo turnover — has temporarily closed to ship traffic at night, with the ban in effect from midnight to 5 a.m., Reuters reported, citing three sources in the agricultural industry.
The order was given orally; no official documents were sent to cargo shippers, the sources said. Russia's Transport Ministry and the port administration did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. During the rest of the day, the port continues to operate normally, and grain loading has not been affected, the sources claimed.
About a third of all Russian grain exports pass through Novorossiysk. The port is also used for shipping oil, metals, and container cargo. Following the news of the nighttime restrictions, Euronext wheat futures for September delivery rose 4.5%.
Days earlier, Ukrainian drones attacked the marine terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in Novorossiysk during an oil-loading operation, causing a fire on one of two tankers hit.
On July 21, Russia's Transport Ministry banned ships from anchoring at unprotected anchorages near the ports of Azov (Rostov region) and Kavkaz (Krasnodar region) that lack air defense systems. According to Reuters, grain destined for export from the Sea of Azov is being redirected to Novorossiysk.
After the attack on the CPC terminal, tanker companies are wary of sending vessels to the facility, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. In response, Kazakhstan has been forced to halt oil shipments via the pipeline to its main export terminal on Russia's Black Sea coast.