First ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa
The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain since Russia launched its military operation in the country in February has departed Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa, its infrastructure ministry announced on Monday.
Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni finally set sail after weeks of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, carrying 26,000 tons of Ukrainian corn, the ministry said in a statement that was confirmed by Turkey’s defense ministry.
Marine traffic data shows Razoni sailing a few kilometers off the coast of Odesa, several hours after the release of the statement, adding that 16 additional ships are waiting their turns to leave the port with grain cargos.
"Today, Ukraine, together with its partners, is taking another step towards preventing world hunger," Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov declared, adding that unblocking the ports would also yield opportunities for Kiev and "provide at least $1 billion in foreign exchange earnings for the economy and an opportunity for the agricultural sector to plan next year's crops."
The first shipment comes as Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement on July 22 with the United Nations and Turkey to reopen Ukraine's seaports for ships carrying Ukrainian grain and guarantee their safe passage in the Black Sea.
Under the deal, Moscow committed not to attack merchant vessels exporting grain from Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.
A day after the deal was struck, Western press reports claimed that Russia had attacked the Odesa port affecting grain exports. Moscow, however, dismissed the reports a day later, insisting that its missile targeted Western shipments of weapons in the port and not grain cargos.
Since late February, shipments from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain producers, have been blocked from leaving the country's ports after Ukrainian forces mined waters near the ports to prevent possible Russian naval movements.
Russia also imposed a blockade on the ports to prevent Western shipments of weaponry to the country. This sparked fears of a global food crisis as grain prices surged.
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