The Russia-Ukraine conflict is continuing to reshape Russia's maritime logistics in the Azov-Black Sea basin, pushing some foreign trade cargo flows gradually eastward in what a Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) expert describes as a long-term trend that is adding pressure on Far Eastern ports.

Ilya Sinenko, an expert at FEFU's Center for Asian Studies, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the exact scale of the conflict's impact on shipping in the Azov and Black Seas is difficult to assess because objective, open data are limited.

Even so, he said cargo volumes along the Azov-Black Sea route have declined, and estimates of the decline over the past year range 5-15% compared with the same periods in 2025. The decline mainly affected grain and agricultural products, which traditionally form the backbone of freight traffic on that route, Sinenko said.

As shipping conditions change, Russian logistics is adapting by redistributing cargo flows among destinations including Baltic Sea ports and Far Eastern ports. Far Eastern ports have shown more activity and higher utilization in recent months, he noted, although the trend remains uneven and is constrained by existing infrastructure.

Citing available public data, Sinenko said shipping volumes through the main Far Eastern ports have grown by an average of 15-20% over the past year and a half. Coal shipments have led the increase, while experts have also noted a rise in container turnover.

Sinenko views the strengthening eastern direction as a long-term trend and part of an ongoing reorientation of Russia's foreign trade relations toward the Asia-Pacific region, with China being a primary partner for cooperation.

Russian government agencies and businesses have spent several years adapting transport routes, contractual relationships and port infrastructure to the changing geography of foreign trade, he added.

On prospects for maritime transport through the Far East and the Pacific Ocean, Sinenko highlighted direct access to Asian markets and the opportunity to diversify transport infrastructure as key advantages, as well as reduced dependence on Western shipping and overall more predictable geopolitical conditions.

Further increases in cargo traffic will require stronger infrastructure, including expanded ports and railways and greater warehouse and service capacity.

In his view, cooperation with Chinese companies could play a special role in developing the eastern direction, offering several high-potential points of interaction.

"Chinese companies can be useful in assisting with the modernization of port logistics, container services, equipment supplies, as well as assisting with the digitalization of supply chains and the joint organization of multimodal transportation," Sinenko said. Such cooperation could expand economic and infrastructure ties between Russia and China while making regional and international transport chains more resilient, he noted.