From August 18 to August 24, 2026, the container ship Akkon RMS TEAM is on fire in the Black Sea en route to Novorossiysk following a drone strike, while in the Port of Yeysk, emergency teams are tackling a facility fire after a UAV attack. Rusagrotrans projects August wheat exports at 1.8 million tons, SovEcon at 2.2 million. Both forecasts are close to the lowest level since 2010. Meanwhile, the first New New Shipping container ship is berthed in Murmansk, and the FEU rate from China to Moscow reached $9,531 in July.
RMS TEAM in the Black Sea and Fire in the Port of Yeysk
On August 21, Turkey's Akkon Lines reported a drone attack on the container ship RMS TEAM in the Black Sea. The vessel was built in 2004 and flies the flag of Barbados. The crew abandoned ship. A nearby vessel rescued 11 crew members, one sailor is missing, and search and rescue teams have been notified. Following the evacuation, fire engulfed the living quarters, engine room, and container bays. According to the line's assessment, both the vessel and cargo are at risk of being declared a constructive total loss. Prior to the attack, the AIS destination was set to Novorossiysk. The vessel departed Turkish Gemlik on August 12, called at Eregli, and transited into the Black Sea. Details were reported by PortNews and InfraNews.
On August 22, the Governor of Krasnodar Krai, Veniamin Kondratyev, reported that an enterprise in the Port of Yeysk was targeted by a UAV attack: debris ignited a fire, which is currently being extinguished. Interfax confirms that debris fell on an enterprise within port boundaries, prompting a local state of emergency in Yeysk District. Two incidents took place in the south this week: a container vessel is on fire on the approach to Novorossiysk, and a port facility caught fire in Yeysk. Amid disruptions with Novorossiysk grain shipments, another incident has affected the region.
Wheat Export Forecasts Near Record Low Since 2010
On August 19, the Rusagrotrans analytical center lowered its Russian August wheat export forecast from 3.1 to 1.8 million tons. The cut is attributed to shipment restrictions at Black Sea ports. The revised estimate is 2.5 times lower than last August's volume and close to the August 2010 level, when exports stood at 1.6 million tons. The figure was reported by Interfax.
On August 23, SovEcon cut its August forecast by another 1 million tons to 2.2 million. This is also the lowest figure since 2010. Last August it reached 4.5 million, against a five-year average of 5 million. The projection assumes that some Black Sea terminals will resume operations before the end of the month. If not, volumes will fall below 2.2 million. Both projections are tied to the operational status of southern terminals: Rusagrotrans estimates 1.8 million tons, SovEcon — 2.2 million.
First NNSL in Murmansk and the Line's Plans for St. Petersburg
On the night of August 19, a container vessel operated by China's New New Shipping Line berthed at the Murmansk Commercial Sea Port. MMTP is part of the Port Alliance; for the port, this marks the first reception of containers delivered via the Northern Sea Route. The vessel was carrying 500 containers loaded with automotive components. Governor Andrey Chibis highlighted the agreement with the carrier: both the port call and the cargo volume conformed to its terms. The call was confirmed by Interfax and PortNews.
The day before, on August 18, NNSL CEO Ke Jin outlined the company's roadmap at the “ROSTKI” forum in Kazan. NNSL plans to deploy six Arctic-class container vessels with a capacity of 4,800 TEU each. By the summer navigation of 2027, the carrier expects to boost freight turnover along the Arctic route to 1.2 million tons. Four vessels are scheduled to enter service in October 2026 on a dedicated line connecting China with St. Petersburg. Combined with current capacity, the line is set to operate two sailings per month from October to deliver components for Chinese automotive plants to St. Petersburg, Moscow, and the Kaliningrad Region. Two additional vessels are slated for June 2027. For now, the Murmansk call remains a single voyage with 500 containers aboard. The line plans to launch regular twice-monthly services to St. Petersburg starting in October.
The $9,531 per FEU Index and Korean Voyage via the NSR
On August 19, Delo Group published its July freight indices. The average cost to ship a 40-foot container from China to Moscow grew by 5.8% compared to June, reaching $9,531 on an FOB-FOT basis across four main routes. The Far East route proved to be the most cost-effective at $8,574 per FEU. Rail border crossings averaged $9,600, Big Port St. Petersburg stood at $9,228, and Novorossiysk reached $10,723. St. Petersburg's competitiveness index climbed to 0.35 in July, surpassing Novorossiysk. The Far East, with an index of 0.72, outstripped land border crossings for the first time this year. The Russian container market declined by 2% in July to 656,000 TEU, with containerization at 6.6%. The review was published by PortNews and InfraNews.
On August 22, another container ship set sail along the NSR. PanStar Acro departed Busan for Europe via the Northern Sea Route. This is the first trial voyage of a South Korean container ship across the Arctic and the first passage of a South Korean vessel along this corridor since 2016. According to the timetable, the vessel will transit the Northern Sea Route from August 30 to September 7, call at Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Gdansk, and Hamburg, and return to Busan on October 5. The complete voyage will take approximately 45 days. PanStar acquired the vessel from HMM; its capacity is 2,758 TEU. The cargo manifest includes chemicals, pre-owned vehicles, auto parts, and empty containers. The voyage was reported by Interfax and PortNews.
Vessel and terminal disruptions persist across the south, August wheat export forecasts have touched historic lows since 2010, and the Novorossiysk corridor emerged as the most expensive in Delo Group's July index. Against this background, St. Petersburg, the Far East, and the Northern Sea Route are being actively explored as alternative solutions. For pending shipments, we advise comparing freight rates and transit times across each route in advance.