The first two dry cargo ships arrived at the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa region along a temporary corridor in the Black Sea, Interfax-Ukraine reports, citing data from the MarineTraffic resource.
The agency writes that the Turkish bulk carrier Aroyat, flying the flag of Palau, entered the waters of the port “Chernomorsk” at about six o’clock in the evening on September 16, and the bulk carrier Resilient Africa, flying the flag of Palau, entered the waters of the port at about 22 p.m.
Resilient Africa and Aroyat should take about 20 thousand tons of grain for the countries of Asia and Africa, said the Minister of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Alexander Kubrakov. On the way back, the dry cargo ships will proceed along the coast of Ukraine, then Romania and Bulgaria.
In total, after Russia’s withdrawal from the “grain deal” in mid-July, five ships left Odessa along this route.
Ukraine announced the creation of temporary corridors in the Black Sea for the export of food on August 10. Kyiv then also stated that the threat from the Russian army remained on the route.
The first container ship, which has been in Odessa since February 2022, left the port on August 16.
Russia announced its withdrawal from the grain deal on July 17. After this, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that they would consider merchant ships heading to Ukrainian ports as military targets. In response, Ukraine announced that all ships arriving at the ports of the Russian Federation and the occupied territories would also be considered by them as military targets. According to the Minister of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Alexander Kubrakov, the last time a ship left the port of Odessa as part of the “grain deal” was on July 16.
After Moscow pulled out of the “grain deal,” Russian troops began regularly shelling the Odessa region, destroying the port infrastructure.
