A cargo vessel set off from a Ukrainian Black Sea port on Tuesday after loading but remained close to the port, an industry source said, without giving any further details.
The vessel was the latest to set off from a Ukrainian Black Sea port since Kyiv established a temporary “humanitarian corridor” hugging the coastline following Russia’s decision to quit a deal that had allowed safe Ukrainian exports.
Two bulk carriers left the port of Chornomorsk last week via the humanitarian corridor.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said last week that three cargo ships were heading towards Ukrainian Black Sea ports for further food and steel exports.
He identified them as the bulk carriers Azara, Ying Hao 01 and Eneida, and said they were due to load 127,000 metric tons of agricultural products and iron ore for China, Egypt, and Spain.
Two other vessels were still in ports under loading.
After it invaded Ukraine last year, Moscow closed off the Black Sea ports from one of the world’s biggest suppliers of grain, in what Kyiv and its Western backers called an attempt to use global food supplies. Moscow said the ports could bring in weapons.
In July 2022, the ports were reopened under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that allowed Russia to inspect ships for arms.
Moscow quit the deal a year later and reimposed the blockade, saying its demands for better terms for its own food and fertilizer exports were being ignored.
The blockage of deep seaports has already affected Ukrainian grain exports, which have decreased by 51% so far in September to 1.57 million tons from 3.21 million tons in the corresponding period last year.
Source: Hellenic Shipping News
