Russia exports grain through World War II-era Arctic port of Murmansk for the first time

Russia first used the World War II-era Arctic seaport of Murmansk to export grain, as Russiaʼs war against Ukraine made trade across the Black Sea more difficult.

Reuters writes about this.

Murmansk Sea Commercial Port and one of the largest Russian trading companies “Demetra Holding” announced on October 28 that they had begun loading the first batch of grain, totaling 3,400 tons, from key agricultural regions of Russia onto the ship.

According to shipping services and market sources, Murmansk also plans to load approximately 28 000 tons of wheat to be shipped to Casablanca in Morocco.

Russia recently reoriented most of its seaborne grain exports to Baltic Sea ports. In September, 1.2 million tons of grain were transported through them, more than 60% of all Russian seaborne grain exports.

Companies have begun converting terminals previously used for fertilizer and coal to handle grain, while some Russian officials have warned of possible “hostile actions” by European NATO countries in the Baltic region.

• Murmansk is located almost 2 000 kilometers north of Moscow, near the border with Norway. The port is accessible through neutral waters. During World War II, the Allies used it to deliver cargo to the Soviet Union.

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