Ukraine crisis | International moving update 21 July 2022

Posted 21/07/2022

Author: Santa Fe Relocation

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ukraine crisis | International moving update 21 July 2022

Ukraine

Foreigners who lived and worked in Ukraine are now rapidly leaving Ukraine. There is a heightened demand for our packing services and we will rely on our relentless drive to meet the demand for this service over the next few months. Customers often underestimate the volume, so packing times and prices are challenging to predict. Planning is complex because everyone wants to leave their accommodation as soon as possible to avoid paying additional rent. And their preference is to store their household goods in our secure warehouse until the necessary documents are ready for customs clearance in the destination country. All packing jobs must be done without a pre-move survey and in the customers’ absence.

The security situation remains unstable as Russia continues bombing Ukrainian cities every day. Fuel isn’t readily available and prices have almost doubled to what they were before the war. Air raid alerts are daily in Kyiv and other prominent Ukrainian cities. During air raid alerts, people must take refuge in bomb shelters, meaning all shops, petrol stations and subways have to close.

There is a curfew in Kyiv from 23:00 until 05:00. All local suppliers only work on full pre-payment terms and subcontractors are paid weekly. Although civil air transportation is still blocked, shipping by sea is possible via Constanta port in Romania.

Russia

The economic situation in Russia remains unstable due to the emergence of new laws and regulations, which are continually changing. Therefore, we have to have to monitor the status constantly. The ruble exchange rate has strengthened because exports outnumber imports. This is not beneficial at all to Russian exporters.

Since decrees were adopted that activate imports to Russia under various schemes. This will probably weaken the ruble soon. Many companies remain operational in Russia and continue their activities by changing logistics supply chains. Many foreign companies from Europe and the US have withdrawn their business from Russia for political and logistical reasons. Some companies have suspended their work and are waiting to see how the situation unfolds. A significant number of companies stopped their activities or announced their withdrawal from the Russian market but have recently started to work again in Russia. Therefore, a considerable number of foreigners remain in Russia. We still see many foreigners leaving Russia temporarily.

Transport options remain limited due to sanctions imposed by the European Union. Belarusian and Russian carriers do not have access to Europe, so the cost of transport options has increased several times recently. We do not observe significant changes in our work in Russia, except for the challenges mentioned above with international transport. There is no panic, though, as we adapt to these modern realities.

Santa Fe offers the following recommendations

Advance planning

Be sure to book early. Santa Fe will assist with early scheduling to obtain the best timings and rates. We can also make sure that all the required paperwork is in order before shipping to minimise the chance of delays.

Transportation and storage

Consider alternative methods of transport such as air freight for time-sensitive items. Storage can also help with the current uncertainty of timings. Santa Fe has access to multiple freight and warehousing locations throughout our own global network and at our carefully selected partners, giving our customers the widest choice of possible solutions.

Costs and timings

Be prepared to buffer your budget and allow for transit time changes. Santa Fe will do its best to ensure moves arrive on schedule. Still, delays and unforeseen additional charges can occur in this unstable period.