Breakthrough of blockade: Three more ships sail to Ukrainian ports for grain and ore
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov (Photo: RBC-Ukraine, Vitalii Nosach)
Three new vessels are heading towards Ukrainian ports for loading with export products. They will load over 100,000 tons of agricultural products and iron ore, according to Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov.
"Balzers Azara, Ying Hao 01, and Eneida have confirmed their readiness to use the temporary corridor for civilian vessels and are heading towards the ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk," he wrote.
According to his information, the vessels set sail towards China, Egypt, and Spain after loading over 127,000 tons of Ukrainian agricultural products and iron ore.
Breaking the blockade
Last month, Ukraine announced the creation of a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea to release ships stuck in its ports since Russia invaded in February 2022 and circumvent the effective blockade after Russia withdrew from the agreement on safe grain exports.
Initially, five vessels that had been stranded in Ukraine since the beginning of the war left Odesa.
The first ships to enter and leave the ports were the bulk carriers Resilient Africa and Aroyat, which exported over 20,000 tons of Ukrainian agricultural products to Asian and African countries.
The departure of these vessels is a test of Ukraine's ability to reopen maritime routes when Russia seeks to reimpose a blockade.
