War in Ukraine: Global Consequences on Transportation


A new crisis is looming…

As you know, Russia declared war on Ukraine on February 24th. Following this declaration, ALL flows to/from Russia and most of those to/from Ukraine are currently suspended.

However, this war will have an impact on all your ROAD, AIR, RAIL, and SEA flows, and we will strive to keep you informed as best as possible so that you can understand the situation.
  • ROAD
As previously announced, many Ukrainian drivers have returned home, leading to a shortage of drivers on certain routes.
Furthermore, significant congestion is currently occurring at the Romanian, Polish, Slovakian, and Hungarian borders.
An increase in diesel surcharges is expected very soon.
  • RAIL
ATTENTION! Most carriers are no longer accepting any new bookings!
For now, rail transportation is not stopped, and goods continue to be delivered. However, due to sanctions and the passage of these routes through Russia, a suspension may occur soon, and European carriers are no longer accepting bookings from China.
Below is the route map of the new Silk Road.

  • SEA

Apart from flows to/from Russia or Ukraine, maritime traffic is not heavily disrupted at the moment.

However, available space in maritime transport will decrease further with the transfer of RAIL flows to SEA. This may ultimately lead to another increase in prices.

We also expect personnel issues in the maritime sector, as it is estimated that 15% of the global maritime freight workforce is Ukrainian or Russian.

  • AIR

Following the declaration of war, Ukrainian airspace has been closed since February 24, 2022.

Since February 28, France and Europe have decided to ban Russian airlines from their airspace. In response to these measures, the Russian government has banned European airlines from its airspace.

These bans will have an impact on flows to/from Asia. Specifically:

– Restricted available space on flights: A decrease in available space to and from Europe is already being felt due to the ban on Russian airlines.

– Increased delays: Disruption of air traffic and increased delays due to the ban on flying over Russia.

– Price increases: Prices are increasing due to the rise in fuel surcharges and the implementation of a “war surcharge” tax.


Below is a map of Europe showing the countries that have closed their airspace to Russian airlines.

The direct consequence of this entire situation is a disruption of flows to and from Asia and an increase in prices for SEA, ROAD, and AIR traffic.

Now more than ever, the entire ThemaTrans team is at your disposal if you have any questions.


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