Finding enough seafarers willing to sail ships stuck inside Ukraine’s ports is set to pose a major challenge to the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports. Some 80 ships remain blocked in Ukraine and the evacuation of most of their crew members means more mariners are needed to get the cargoes moving.
Henrik Jensen, managing director of Danica, which specializes in providing crew for ships in Ukraine and eastern Europe, said it may be hard to find people willing to go. “The main concern at the moment is the security of crew members,” he said.
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At the start of the war approximately 2,000 seafarers from all over the world were stranded aboard 94 vessels in Ukrainian ports. Only around 450 are left on the estimated 80 vessels remaining, mainly dry bulk ships that carry grain, but also cargo vessels transporting other commodities, according to data from UN shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and from shipping sources.
Few seafarers are expected to travel to Ukraine until they see the safe passage of the initial ships. Initially, many of the ships will need to be manned by Ukrainians, though finding enough willing workers will be a challenge. Russian seafarers will not be used due to security concerns by Ukraine, the sources said.
Besides the seafarer shortage, London’s insurance market has placed the entire region on a separate high-risk list, meaning soaring costs for shipments.
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