Freight flows at key Ukraine–Poland border posts ground to a halt on Sunday after a technical outage crippled the Polish Customs Service’s export database. The stoppage, which began in the early hours of 18 January, forced complete closures at Medyka–Shehyni and Hrebenne–Rava-Ruska, while operations at Korczowa–Krakowiec moved at a crawl.
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said only empty trucks were being cleared routinely; loaded vehicles were queued for kilometres on the Ukrainian side. Polish authorities have promised a fix by 22:00 Kyiv time, but logistics companies are warning clients to expect residual congestion through Monday.
![Polish Customs Database Outage Halts Freight at Three Ukraine–Poland Crossings]()
While carriers consider rerouting through Slovakia or Hungary, drivers and dispatchers may also need to verify entry paperwork for alternative crossings. VisaHQ can streamline that process with fast online Polish and Schengen visa services—helping transport professionals secure the right documents without adding to delays. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/poland/.
The breakdown highlights the fragility of the eastern EU customs interface at a time when the overland corridor through Poland has become a lifeline for Ukrainian grain, automotive parts and humanitarian supplies. Freight forwarders estimate that each hour of downtime at Medyka alone strands cargo worth roughly €2 million.
Businesses with time-critical supply chains—particularly automotive plants in Silesia that depend on just-in-time deliveries from Lviv—are activating contingency stock and exploring alternative crossings in Slovakia and Hungary. Drivers headed to or from Poland are being urged to check live queue data and carry sufficient rest provisions, as parking and sanitary facilities near the closed gates are limited.
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said only empty trucks were being cleared routinely; loaded vehicles were queued for kilometres on the Ukrainian side. Polish authorities have promised a fix by 22:00 Kyiv time, but logistics companies are warning clients to expect residual congestion through Monday.
While carriers consider rerouting through Slovakia or Hungary, drivers and dispatchers may also need to verify entry paperwork for alternative crossings. VisaHQ can streamline that process with fast online Polish and Schengen visa services—helping transport professionals secure the right documents without adding to delays. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/poland/.
The breakdown highlights the fragility of the eastern EU customs interface at a time when the overland corridor through Poland has become a lifeline for Ukrainian grain, automotive parts and humanitarian supplies. Freight forwarders estimate that each hour of downtime at Medyka alone strands cargo worth roughly €2 million.
Businesses with time-critical supply chains—particularly automotive plants in Silesia that depend on just-in-time deliveries from Lviv—are activating contingency stock and exploring alternative crossings in Slovakia and Hungary. Drivers headed to or from Poland are being urged to check live queue data and carry sufficient rest provisions, as parking and sanitary facilities near the closed gates are limited.
