The consequences of attacks on civilian shipping and port infrastructure in the Black Sea are increasingly being felt far beyond the region.

According to Reuters, Asian wheat importers have recently purchased at least 500,000 tonnes of wheat from Australia and Argentina to replace delayed supplies from the Black Sea.

Importers in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are among those turning to alternative suppliers as attacks on vessels and grain-export infrastructure continue to disrupt established shipping routes.

The cost of this disruption is significant.

Australian and Argentine wheat is reportedly being purchased at around US$310–330 per tonne, compared with approximately US$260–280 per tonne for Black Sea cargoes. Wheat futures have risen by around 35% since late June, while some Asian buyers are even using container shipments to secure urgent supplies rather than relying exclusively on traditional bulk shipments.

Ukraine’s own official figures illustrate the scale of the disruption. The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported that between 1 and 26 August Ukraine exported only 1.423 million tonnes of grain, oilseeds and processed products — around one-third of its potential export volume. Grain exports alone reached just 822,000 tonnes, or about 21% of potential.

Alternative routes through the Danube, railways and EU Solidarity Lanes are helping to keep Ukrainian exports moving, but Ukrainian authorities stress that they cannot fully replace the capacity of maritime transport through the deep-water ports of Greater Odesa.

This is no longer only a regional shipping problem.

Every attack on a merchant vessel, port or maritime logistics facility puts seafarers and port workers at risk, increases the cost of navigation and insurance, disrupts established cargo routes and ultimately affects food availability and prices thousands of kilometres away.

Safe navigation and the protection of civilian seafarers, vessels and port infrastructure in the Black Sea are therefore not only maritime issues — they are essential to the stability of international trade and global food security.

Merchant seafarers must never become casualties of war. Civilian shipping must be protected.