- Vessel with over 26,000 tons of grain left Ukrainian port of Odesa early Monday (Aug 1)
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The M/V Razoni will stop in Istanbul on Tuesday for inspection of cargo before proceeding to Tripoli, Lebanon
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It is hoped the agreement will ease the global food crisis and lower the price of grain as more shipments are planned
A vessel loaded with more than 26,000 tons of grain left Ukraine’s port of Odessa for Lebanon early Monday, August 1, under a safe passage agreement, Turkish and Ukrainian officials told media.
It was the first Ukrainian grain shipment departing since the Russian invasion began in February and blocked shipping through the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s foreign minister called it “a day of relief for the world”, especially for countries threatened by food shortages and hunger because of the disrupted shipments, Reuters reported.
The Kremlin called the Sierra Leone-flagged Razoni’s departure “very positive” news.
The sailing was made possible after Turkey and the United Nations brokered a grain-and-fertilizer export agreement between Russia and Ukraine last month. It is hoped the agreement will ease the global food crisis and lower the price of grain.
Turkey said the vessel would dock at the port of Tripoli in Lebanon, adding that further shipments were planned over the coming weeks, BBC reported.
The Joint Co-ordination Centre, set up in Istanbul under the deal, said the ship was carrying 26,527 tons of corn and should arrive in Turkish waters for inspection on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General António Guterres welcomed the ship’s departure and hailed Turkey for its role in working to implement the agreement.
“The first grain ship since #RussianAggression has left port,” Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov wrote on Facebook. “Today Ukraine, together with its partners, makes another step to prevent world hunger.”
“Unlocking ports will provide at least US$1 billion in foreign exchange revenue to the economy and an opportunity for the agricultural sector to plan for next year.”
While the sight of the Razoni, with her stowed white cranes and long blue hull, inching out into the mine-infested Black Sea represents a significant development, the operation will have to last for a sustained period for either Ukraine’s damaged economy or tens of millions of people around the world to benefit, BBC said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 has led to a worldwide food and energy crisis and the United Nations has warned of the risk of multiple famines this year.
Russia and Ukraine account for nearly a third of global wheat exports. But Western sanctions on Russia and fighting along Ukraine’s eastern seaboard had prevented grain ships from leaving ports safely.
The deal aims to allow safe passage for grain shipments in and out of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter: “The day of relief for the world, especially for our friends in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, as the first Ukrainian grain leaves Odesa after months of Russian blockade.”
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim also welcomed the departure of the Razoni.
“I am pleased to see the first departure. The immense work by the UN and the relevant parties has now come to fruition. IMO will continue to do everything to support safe and secure shipping and ensure the safety of seafarers,” Lim said.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the vessel would anchor off Istanbul on Tuesday afternoon and be inspected by a joint team of Russian, Ukrainian, United Nations and Turkish representatives. “It will then continue as long as no problems arise,” Akar said.
