Containerized transportation to and from Russia has been hit hard in 2015, according to data from SeaIntel, thus confirming what a number of major players have already pointed to in comments to ShippingWatch.

The sanctions against the country and Russia's counter sanctions against the EU and the US form a big part of the explanation for the total decline in container trade with Russia, at no less than 23 percent, from the first quarter 2014 to the first quarter 2015, and because the Council of the European Union is expected today to extend the sanctions, there are no prospects of the situation changing any time soon.