Three grain ships were granted permission to leave Ukrainian ports on Friday, days after the first grain tanker left the country since the Russian invasion under a hard-won deal to free more than 20 million tons of warehouses are in great need of Ukraine.
A joint coordination center in Istanbul, established by the agreement and staffed by officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, said in a statement Thursday, center officials said. , cleaned up the ships for departure. Two, Polarnet and Rojen, will depart the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, and a third, Navi-Star, from Odesa, the statement said. They are carrying a total of 58,041 tonnes of corn to ports in Turkey, Ireland and the UK.
The ships are expected to depart Friday morning, weather permitting, the statement said. According to the agreement, their first stop was in Turkish waters, for a joint inspection.
Many potential dangers lie ahead, but Razoni’s safe passage so far offers hope that a long-negotiated deal will fulfill its goal of helping to resolve – though not by itself – the shortage. global food and high grain prices.
A fourth ship, the Fulmar S, currently moored near Istanbul, is awaiting clearance to proceed to the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, officials from the consortium said on Thursday.
Their statement said that the arrival of the Fulmar S vessel would serve as a second “proof of concept” for the grain deal, and noted that the allowable passage had been “modified to allow the vessel to pass through.” more efficient while remaining safe.”
Safak Timur contribution report.
