Two more vessels are going through the temporary corridor from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine
The bulk carriers ANNA-THERESA (Liberia flag) and OCEAN COURTESY (Marshall Islands) left the Ukrainian port Pivdennyi and moved along the established sea corridor towards the Bosphorus. 56,000 tons of pig iron and 172,000 tons of iron are on board these ships.
Singapore shipping company operates both above-mentioned bulk carriers. They were blocked in the Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, informed the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine. In particular, bulk carrier ANNA-THERESA has been blocked in the port since February 22, 2022, and OCEAN COURTESY since February 16, 2022.
The corridor established by the navigation mandate of the Ukrainian Navy was primarily used to evacuate ships blocked in the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi at the time of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Since August 15, 2023, four vessels have already used the temporary corridor. The container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE and the bulk carrier PRIMUS were the first to pass this way on August 16 and 27.
“In this situation, it is important for us to guarantee the safety of ships and their crews. Indeed, our military made a sea route and allowed the exit of vessels that were blocked earlier and that do not fall into the Grain Initiative,” said the First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi.
He also added that in the future, a clear analysis will be conducted on how this process will take place, and further actions will be taken.
As previously reported, on July 17, 2023, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which had been in effect since July 2022. Moreover, after pulling out of the Grain Initiative, Russia resorted to systematic air attacks on the port infrastructure to stop Ukrainian agricultural exports.
