Russia Ships Cast Iron Through the Arctic for the First Time Using Ukrainian Drones — FT

For the first time in three decades, Russia will export cast iron via the Arctic port of Murmansk. This route was chosen to circumvent shipping restrictions in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian strikes.

On Thursday, the Murmansk Port’s Telegram channel posted a video of the cast iron being loaded. The post noted that changes in logistics in southern Russia have led to a sharp increase in cargo traffic through the port.

On October 14, the port announced that it had begun handling pig iron for the first time since 1996. According to the FT, the cargo ship is likely headed for Turkey, as imports of Russian pig iron into the EU will be banned starting January 1, 2026.

Russia is one of the world’s largest exporters of pig iron, alongside Brazil and Ukraine. This raw material is vital for the steelmaking and foundry industries.

According to the port, more than 180 rail cars delivered metal from the Urals for a trial shipment of 65,000 metric tons to the Mediterranean Sea. This route takes about 10 days longer than transport via the Black Sea, which significantly increases costs.

Russian exporters are forced to seek alternative routes due to attacks on ships in the Black Sea, which have been ongoing since the summer. According to the maritime security firm Ambrey, nearly 700 attacks have been recorded in the Black Sea this year.

To protect its exports, Russia has largely redirected raw material shipments to Baltic ports. However, due to congestion at those ports, some cargo must be rerouted to more remote regions.

The FT reports on this.

As a reminder, Russian exporters have begun using the Arctic port of Murmansk to ship wheat abroad. The new route is intended to reduce dependence on shipments through the Black and Baltic Seas.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has proposed exempting foreign workers employed by residents of Advanced Development Territories (ADTs) from the mandatory requirement to demonstrate proficiency in the Russian language, knowledge of the country’s history, and understanding of the fundamentals of Russian law.