Nibulon Halts Operations at 2 Terminals Due to Constant Russian Shelling

Nibulon, one of Ukraine’s largest grain exporters and maritime logistics providers, has suspended operations at two of its elevators in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions due to security risks. Serhiy Kalkutin, Nibulon’s director of logistics and elevator operations, told Elevatorist that the Khortytsia and Zelenodolska branches were halted –after a period of limited work early in the season – to protect staff from relentless Russian shelling.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Nibulon managed 28 facilities with a total storage capacity of 2 million tons. That capacity has shrunk to 1.6 million tons following the loss of five enterprises to occupation or destruction. Another six river-based terminals are operating under restrictions, forcing the company to move grain by truck to nearby rail hubs rather than by river.

“At the start of the full-scale invasion, we had 28 enterprises... [Now] five have actually been lost – they are either under occupation or destroyed,” Kalkutin told Elevatorist. “To ensure people’s safety, we suspended their work due to constant shelling.”

The executive highlighted systemic risks for the industry, including unstable crop yields, energy shortages, and a lack of qualified workers. He added that because infrastructure is often destroyed faster than it can be rebuilt, Nibulon has focused on making its existing assets more self-sufficient rather than planning new expansions. 

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Despite these challenges, the company aims to export 3 million tons of grain by year’s end, having already reached 2.2 million tons this season.

Nibulon and the impact of war

Founded in 1991, Nibulon has invested over $2.3 billion in Ukraine’s food security infrastructure, building the country’s river cargo system from scratch. The company’s founder, Oleksiy Vadaturskyy, was killed in a targeted Russian missile strike on his home in Mykolaiv in 2022. His son, Andriy Vadaturskyy, has led the company since.

In the 2024-25 marketing year, Nibulon exported 2.4 million tons of grains and oilseeds to 18 countries, securing a 5.1% market share.

According to Nibulon’s website, the company estimates direct damages from the invasion at $416 million, with 22,900 hectares (56,600 acres) of its agricultural land currently occupied or mined. Despite losing approximately one-third of its assets in crop production and shipbuilding, Nibulon has maintained operations through strategic pivots:

• In 2022, Nibulon built the Bessarabska river terminal in Izmail from scratch, which has already handled over 4.5 million tons of grain via the Danube.
• As the first agricultural holding to receive demining operator status, the company has returned 6,000 hectares (14,800 acres) of land to cultivation.
• Since 2008, Nibulon has been a key partner for the UN World Food Program (WFP), supplying grain to countries including Ethiopia, Yemen, and Pakistan.

Nibulon continues to produce and repair its fleet at its own shipyard in Mykolaiv, though its focus has shifted to maintaining operational stability. Even under fire, the company remains one of Ukraine’s top five grain exporters, generating up to $800 million in annual export revenue.