Baltic Ports Face Pressure as Latvia and Lithuania Consider Blocking Russian Grain

Russia's grain exporters are increasingly redirecting shipments away from the Black Sea and Azov Sea due to problems with shipping and port infrastructure.

In response, demand for alternative routes has surged. As of August 18, applications for rail shipments of grain to Baltic ports reached 5 mln tons, compared with 6 mln tons for Novorossiysk and Tuapse.

The Latvian government is considering a complete ban on Russian grain exports through the country's ports, while Lithuania has stated that using its port infrastructure for such shipments is unacceptable.