Istanbul (awp/afp) – Five cargo ships loaded with grain will set sail on Sunday from the Ukrainian ports of Chernomorsk and Odessa to continue the export of grain, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) which oversees operations announced on Saturday evening. .
In total, these boats are transporting more than 161,000 tonnes of corn and food products to Turkey, China and Italy, according to the CCC, which will follow their progress until Istanbul, where they will be inspected offshore before taking the Bosphorus.
With these new starts, Ukrainian grain exports are gradually finding a steady pace.
The CCC said in a statement that it is “finalizing regular export procedures” under the Black Sea Grains Initiative, the official name of the agreement.
“Schedules may be affected by preparations and weather conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances,” he said.
At the same time, the center has authorized the freighter MV Osprey to sail, empty, for Chernomorsk as soon as it has been inspected on Sunday off Istanbul.
The CCC is established in Istanbul under the terms of the international agreement signed on July 22 between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN.
This agreement frees Ukrainian cereal exports blocked by the war since February 24 and those of Russian agricultural products, despite Western sanctions.
Saturday evening, the experts completed the inspection of the Navistar, which had left Odessa on Friday for Ireland.
Two other buildings that left at the same time will be inspected on Sunday, he said.
In his address to the Ukrainians on Saturday evening, President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the revival of exports by sea of Ukrainian agricultural production. “Our Black Sea ports are working,” he said.
“But the main risk, security, remains. The danger of Russian provocation and terrorist acts remains. Everyone must be aware of this. But if our partners fulfill their obligations and guarantee the security of deliveries, this will solve the food crisis world,” he added.
afp/rp