The second ship to load Ukrainian grain at the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk since July has departed and more ships are on their way for loading, as Kyiv defies Russia’s de-facto maritime blockade.
(Bloomberg) — The second ship to load Ukrainian grain at the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk since July has departed and more ships are on their way for loading, as Kyiv defies Russia’s de-facto maritime blockade.
The movements mark Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim its trade routes through the Black Sea, which had effectively been blocked since Russia exited a safe-corridor deal brokered by the UN and Turkey. While one small ship has transited safely so far, the passage is fraught with risks and so far mainstream owners are unwilling to send vessels there.
Russia has previously said it would treat any ships headed to Ukraine’s ports as potential carriers of weapons, and last month opened fire on one to force it to stop for checks.
The Aroyat is heading toward Egypt after loading almost 18,000 tons of wheat, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The vessel follows Resilient Africa, which has passed through the Bosphorus after loading wheat at Chornomorsk, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The ships arrived at the port over the weekend.
Three more ships are on their way to Ukraine’s Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi ports for loading, Kubrakov said. The ships are using a corridor established by Ukraine’s military.
–With assistance from Volodymyr Verbyany.
(Updates with details on three more ships on their way for loading)
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