Economic Sanctions Against Russia: A Transport Perspective

Abstract

Economic sanctions have become one of the decisive factors affecting modern international economic relations. Packages of restrictive measures imposed on Russia by the West in February and March of 2022 could be treated as unprecedented. The article examines recent sanctions against Russia from the perspective of international cargo shipments. Air transport has been the hardest-hit sector. Road and rail transport have suffered as well, but to a lesser extent. Restrictions on maritime shipments of export cargo towards Russia resemble a blockade. For instance, EU has closed its ports for all the vessels that entered Russia’s ports. World’s leading linear carriers have practically stopped executing export shipments towards Russia except for those to take on board their empty containers on a way back. Nonetheless, the authors conclude that global supply chains might soon adapt to new realities, but related logistics will definitely become more complicated and expensive.