Russia has launched a new route for grain exports, utilizing the Arctic port of Murmansk for the first time. In October, the country shipped 40,000 tonnes of wheat from Stavropol Krai through this northern port, a move driven by challenges in traditional export routes via the Black Sea.
The shift to Murmansk comes as Russia faces difficulties with grain exports through the Black Sea, with transportation costs to the Arctic port being 3 to 5 times higher than through southern ports. The potential grain transshipment volumes in Murmansk are estimated at 60,000 to 90,000 tonnes per month, or approximately 0.7 to 1.1 million tonnes per year. This is a fraction of the 46.3 million tonnes previously exported through the Azov-Black Sea basin.
One of the main challenges with the new route is the need to transport grain by rail from southern regions to the Arctic port, along with the underdeveloped infrastructure for grain cargo transshipment in Murmansk. Russian grain exporters are exploring new supply routes as ports in the Azov-Black Sea basin remain blocked, and exporting through Baltic ports is too expensive.
Recent Ukrainian strikes on grain terminals in Novorossiysk and vessels in the Sea of Azov have significantly impacted grain shipments. In the second ten days of September, Russian grain exports dropped to 381,000 tonnes, compared to 1.6 million tonnes last year. Since July 2026, the Unmanned Systems Forces have disabled 300 vessels of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet."