Around 40% of Ukraine’s container market is handled by Baltic Hub in Gdańsk. Poland has become a key logistics base for Ukraine, while growing import needs and investments related to the country’s reconstruction are increasing the importance of rail transport. Alternative routes through Constanța in Romania and Hamburg in Germany make it possible to tailor shipments to the type of cargo, cost and delivery time.
Ukraine now relies heavily on imports to support its economy. Machinery, equipment, vehicles, energy commodities, construction materials, food and consumer goods are brought into the country. Since a significant share of its trade is conducted with global markets, seaports and efficient rail and road connections leading inland are crucial.
Restrictions on the operations of ports in the Greater Odesa area have led to some container handling being shifted to European ports. Gdańsk has become one of the most important points on this logistics map. As Roman Ostroverkh, Managing Director Ukraine at Rohlig SUUS Logistics, points out, Poland now plays a much broader role than simply serving as a transit country.
– At Rohlig SUUS Logistics, we see this directly through our Ukrainian subsidiary: Poland has become a key logistics base for the Ukrainian market – the expert emphasises.
Imports are driven by construction and consumer demand
Ukraine’s import needs stem both from the necessity of rebuilding infrastructure and from sustained demand for consumer goods. According to data from GMK Center, imports accounted for 43.8% of steel consumption in Ukraine in the first half of 2026. This was the highest level in more than three decades. Demand is linked to the development of infrastructure, factories, warehouses and terminals, particularly in the western part of the country.
Retail sales are also increasing. According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, real retail turnover rose by 9% between January and July 2026. Growing demand is translating into imports of food, FMCG products, meaning fast moving consumer goods, as well as cars. More than 70% of the cars imported into Ukraine are used vehicles.
For logistics operators, this means having to handle very different types of transport simultaneously. On the one hand, project cargo and oversized shipments are needed for the energy sector and construction industry. On the other, regular pallet distribution is becoming increasingly important, covering food and everyday consumer goods.
Gdańsk handles around 40% of Ukraine’s container market
Polish ports are playing an increasingly important role in Ukraine’s trade with global markets. This also applies to deliveries from China, Ukraine’s largest supplier of goods. According to data cited by Rohlig SUUS Logistics, Baltic Hub in Gdańsk handles around 40% of Ukraine’s container market.
Gdańsk’s importance stems primarily from its access to a deep water container terminal. Baltic Hub is the only terminal on the Baltic Sea capable of handling the largest ocean going container ships on direct services from Asia. This allows goods from China to reach Poland without having to be transhipped in Hamburg or Rotterdam.
Reducing the number of transshipment operations helps shorten transit times and simplify cargo handling. The port’s location and the availability of rail infrastructure are also important, enabling containers to be transported towards southern and eastern Poland and then to border crossings with Ukraine.
A container can be transferred from a ship to a train directly within the port. The next stage is transport to the terminal in Zamość, where containers are transferred to the broad gauge LHS railway line. According to Rohlig SUUS Logistics, the entire journey from Gdańsk to Ukraine takes around five days.
Since December 2025, a regular intermodal service linking Baltic Hub with Ukraine has been operating. The development of this type of transport increases the potential for using Gdańsk not only as a port serving the Polish market but also as an entry point for goods destined for Ukrainian customers.
Rail is becoming increasingly important for deliveries to Ukraine
The importance of rail transport stems from both infrastructure conditions and the scale of trade. According to the European Commission, around 90% of Ukraine’s imports were transported through the EU and Ukraine Solidarity Lanes in July 2026. A significant proportion of these shipments travelled through Polish road and rail border crossings.
Infrastructure on both sides of the border is gradually being expanded. On the Polish side, Euroterminal Sławków plays an important role. It is the only terminal in the European Union that can directly handle broad gauge trains from Ukraine and Asia thanks to the LHS railway line.
The terminal is being expanded. Construction of a second intermodal facility is expected to increase its annual handling capacity from 285,000 to 530,000 TEU. TEU is a standard unit corresponding to the capacity of a 20 foot container. Greater handling capacity could make it easier to accommodate growing freight traffic between Poland and Ukraine.
Changes are also taking place on the Ukrainian side. In September 2025, the first line using the European track gauge was opened on the route between Uzhhorod and Chop. In the coming years, similar connections are planned to serve Lviv, Chernivtsi and Kovel.
Four corridors of the Trans European Transport Network, TEN T, have been extended into Ukraine. Integrating the country into the core European transport network is important for developing connections and accessing EU funding.
One planned project is a railway line of around 80 km linking Lviv and Mostyska near the Polish border. The investment, co funded by the European Union and scheduled for completion at the end of 2027, is intended to enable direct rail services without the need to change track gauge at the border.
Poland is Ukraine’s second largest supplier
Poland’s importance in Ukrainian supply chains stems not only from the location of its ports and transport routes. Poland also remains an important trading partner for Ukraine.
According to data cited in material from Rohlig SUUS Logistics, between January and July 2026 Poland was Ukraine’s second largest supplier after China, accounting for around 9.5% of Ukrainian imports. In the first half of 2026, Polish exports to Ukraine increased by 13.4% year on year. This was the highest growth rate among Poland’s ten largest trading partners.
These figures show that Poland’s logistics infrastructure serves both deliveries of goods from distant markets and direct trade between the two countries.
Constanța offers an alternative in southern Europe
Gdańsk is the main port used to serve Ukraine’s container market, but it is not the only option. An alternative is the Romanian port of Constanța, which offers road connections and river transport via the Danube.
Romania is becoming increasingly important as a trading and logistics partner for Ukraine. Routes through the Black Sea can be used depending on the origin of the goods, their destination and the required delivery parameters. Rohlig SUUS Logistics makes use of this option through its Romanian subsidiary.
In recent months, however, rising container volumes have led to congestion at the port. Customs clearance times have also increased. Instead of the standard two or three days, the procedure can now take between five and seven days.
Such delays affect the routes chosen by logistics operators. Some cargo destined for Ukraine is being redirected northwards to Polish ports. This demonstrates that infrastructure availability and operational efficiency at a port can be just as important as geographical distance.
Hamburg handles deliveries via intermodal rail services
Another important complement to the Polish route is Hamburg, one of Europe’s largest container ports. It has an extensive network of ocean shipping and rail connections, allowing goods to be transported inland across the continent, including towards Ukraine.
One element of this system is an intermodal connection to the Eurobridge terminal in Batiovo, in western Ukraine. The terminal began operations in February 2026 and is located at the junction of the European rail network and broad gauge infrastructure.
The connection makes it possible to use Hamburg as an entry point for cargo that is subsequently transported by rail to Ukraine. This route may be preferable depending on the availability of a particular shipping service, the recipient’s location or operating conditions at other ports.
As Roman Ostroverkh emphasises, the choice of port is not predetermined for all shipments.
“At SUUS, we select the route for each shipment according to the type of cargo, the required transit time, cost and destination in Ukraine. Alongside Gdańsk, we use both of these ports.”
A local presence makes it easier to serve the market
The importance of transport to Ukraine is prompting logistics operators to develop not only international connections but also their own local operations. Rohlig SUUS Logistics established a local subsidiary in Kyiv in May 2025, following several years of handling cargo to and from Ukraine.
The company combines sea, rail and road transport with customs services on both sides of the border. Its local team makes decisions about routes and deliveries, taking operational conditions and customer needs in the Ukrainian market into account.
According to the expert, interest in Ukraine is growing among investors from Europe, Asia and the United States. Under these conditions, access to transport infrastructure is not the only important factor. Knowledge of local procedures and the ability to organise shipments with the support of a team operating on the ground also matter.
