Despite intense international sanctions and the exodus of nearly all major global carriers following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s containerized cargo market has demonstrated surprising strength. Volumes at key gateways, particularly Vladivostok and Novorossiysk, have surged well beyond pre-war levels. The market’s buoyancy is due to the emergence of a new trade landscape shaped by regional realignments and opportunistic feeder growth.
The Return of CMA CGM to St Petersburg
The French carrier CMA CGM is planning to resume calls at the Baltic port of St Petersburg in mid-November 2025, marking its first regular service there in over three years.
- Service Details: CMA CGM will add a fortnightly stopover in St Petersburg as part of its existing Finland Express (FLX) service, which links Germany with key Baltic ports.
- Vessel and Date: The first scheduled call is set for November 17, using the 1,436 teu container vessel North.
- Context: CMA CGM, along with Maersk, ONE, Hapag-Lloyd, and Zim, had withdrawn services shortly after the 2022 invasion. Their return is a significant signal, though it is not expected to represent a full “normalisation” of liner services.
St Petersburg’s Traffic Revival
St Petersburg saw a significant slump in 2022, with volumes dropping by more than half. However, it is now recovering its relevance in the trade network.
- Volume Recovery: Traffic rose by 31% in 2023 to nearly 1.4m teu, and the upward trend has continued, with a 5% increase through the first nine months of 2025.
- New Operators: Prior to CMA CGM, the port welcomed new services from Vuxx Shipping (linking to South America), AGS Shipping (a weekly Rotterdam service), and Aurora Line (launching a China service via the Northern Sea Route).
- New Trade Corridors: Direct services from India, North Africa, and the Middle East are also now being provided by smaller operators, often backed by Russian freight forwarders.
Remaining Global Carrier and Opportunistic Competitors
Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has been the only global container carrier to maintain regular calls to Russia post-invasion.
- MSC Services: It operates its fruit-focused Ecuador-NWC-USA service into St Petersburg, which handles refrigerated containers not subject to international sanctions. It also runs a Baltic feeder service from Rotterdam and Antwerp, and makes regular calls into Novorossiysk via its Black Sea String B feeder service.
- New Operators Filling the Gap: The exodus of mainline operators created a lucrative opportunity for a new wave of carriers, usually backed by Chinese or Russian forwarding companies.
- Domestic Players: Russia’s own carriers, such as FESCO, Novik, and Delo, have spurred a flurry of new services.
- Foreign Participants: Chinese or South Korean players like Namsung Shipping, SITC, and Transit serve Vladivostok on the Far East Pacific seaboard. Turkish operators Arkas Line, Akkon Lines, and Avrasya Shipping continue to serve Novorossiysk via the Black Sea.
The expansion of Russia’s container volumes, supported by this mix of an existing global player, a returning major carrier, and new opportunistic services, highlights the adaptability of its logistics sector amid geopolitical challenges.
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Source: Lloyd’s List
