News / Poland-Belarus border closure disrupts supply chains, driving up airfreight rates

More than 130 trains have been stranded, airfreight rates are spiking, and Beijing appears increasingly concerned about rumours of worsening Chinese export numbers – all caused by Poland’s refusal to reopen its border with Belarus.

The border has been closed since 12 September, the Polish authorities citing security risks emanating from recent Belarus/Russian military exercises.

New Silk Road Intermodal’s assistant general manager, Tang Tingting, told Chinese media that the majority of more than 130 loaded freight trains were parked-up in Brest, in Belarus’s south-west, and that it would take a week to relieve the backlog.

He noted NSRI was not alone in having sent trains after the border closure, saying more were “on their way”.

It had been expected that Poland would reopen the border when the joint military exercises concluded, but its concerns of Russian aggression were compounded by the accusation that Moscow had sent drones into Polish airspace and warplanes in Estonian skies.

And now the closure is having a knock-on impact on wider Asia-Europe supply chains, with airfreight rates increasing.

The Tac Index noted that “rates out of China were lower again week on week to the US, and still showing double-digit declines year on year,” but this week were “slightly higher to Europe following the closure of the Polish border for rail freight from the east”.

Despite authorities in Beijing having all but immediately reached out to opposite numbers in Warsaw to reopen the €25bn trade route, Poland, backed by the EU, remains intransigent.

Joshua Hutchinson, global maritime and risk management lead at Ambrey, told The Loadstar he was surprised by the response from Beijing, noting that it still had access to Europe via the Red Sea.

“It’s important to recognise that the Red Sea is not shut, but there is a targeting profile from the Houthis, and vessels need to be cognisant of this,” he said. “China, though, has a very large Red Sea market share and is also one of those to have won from the Red Sea crisis, with demand for containers ahead of where commercial rates are. So, it was interesting to hear Beijing talk about the impact on it from the Poland border closure.”

Mr Hutchinson, said that impact was more likely to be felt in Europe, with Anglo-Polish Law Association president Grzegorz Woźniak accusing Poland of “playing its ‘joker’ card”.

While the EU backs its member state, the European Commission is reportedly watching the situation closely, but has not criticised Poland’s decision, spokesperson Olaf Gill said any trade-related challenges were down to “Russia’s brutal, illegal and unjustified war”.

He added: “There is a trade impact when a border through which trade routes flow is shut. We’re in touch with the Polish authorities to look at all aspects of this issue.”