Russia Resumes Grain Exports to Iran via the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is emerging as the safest maritime route for trade with Iran. Russian companies have officially resumed grain exports to the country via the Caspian route following a brief pause caused by the fallout from the US-Israel-Iran conflict.

According to internal sources sharing with Reuters, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has made the Caspian route the most strategic and viable option at present. While shipments via the Caspian were only disrupted for about two days, all deliveries from Black Sea ports to the Persian Gulf currently remain completely suspended.

Cargo Volumes Gradually Recovering

Data from LSEG shows logistics activities bustling once again, with five vessels currently loading at the port of Astrakhan, carrying a total of approximately 22,600 tons of grain. Additionally, nine other vessels carrying 28,000 tons of grain are anchored offshore, waiting to discharge off the coast of Iran.

According to an analysis by rail transport operator Rusagrotrans, Iran - Russia's third-largest grain buyer - imported nearly 6 million tons of grain from Russia between July and February, approximately double the volume compared to the same period last year. Russian exporters have also successfully delivered 1.9 million tons of wheat to Iran, closely tracking the planned target of 2.0 to 2.2 million tons.

Strategic Logistics Shift to the Caspian Sea

As the world's largest grain exporter, Russia has continuously upgraded its export logistics capacity in the Caspian Sea region in recent years. The target markets include Iran, the Gulf states, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Currently, Russia operates three grain export ports in this region (two in Astrakhan and one in Makhachkala) with a minimum total capacity of 3 million tons. Notably, a new terminal with a capacity of 1.5 million tons in Makhachkala is expected to commence operations in 2028.

Commenting on this shift in cargo flows, Alexander Sharov from trade consultancy RusIranExpo stated that wheat grown along the Volga River basin possesses the most optimal logistics advantage for export to Iran: "The shipments of wheat to Iran will be moved from Novorossiysk on the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea because the wheat is grown in the Volga region, and all logistics indicate that it should be transported along the Volga River and then via the Caspian."

Draft Challenges and Vessel Tonnage Limits

Despite its strategic significance, the Caspian trade route still faces operational barriers. Several analysts point out that the Caspian Sea's water levels are dropping, forcing exporters to use smaller vessels or reduce the cargo volume loaded onto ships. In a related regional development, Kazakhstan - another grain-exporting nation bordering the Caspian Sea - also suspended barley shipments to Iran last week.

Elaborating on the technical barriers of the fleet, Evgeny Karabanov from Kazakhstan's Grain Union emphasized: "There are no large-tonnage bulk carriers in the Caspian Sea. Only river-sea coasters with a capacity of 3,000-6,000 tons. Additionally, the Caspian is currently experiencing a decrease in water levels, and at the Aktau sea port, 6,000-ton ships are being loaded with 5,200-5,300 tons."

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Source: Phaata.com (According to Baird Maritime)

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