Second ship from Odesa reached Romania via temporary corridor
Zelenskyy announced that the second ship from Odesa has reached Romania (photo: Getty Images)
The second of the war-blockaded ships has left the Odesa port and reached Romania, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announces on Twitter.
"The second ship has reached Romanian territorial waters after a successful passage through our temporary Black Sea corridor. It had been blocked since February 2022 and was loaded with steel intended for African consumers," explained the president.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine defends freedom of navigation through concrete actions, with the world benefiting from stability.
"I extend my gratitude to everyone who made this possible: our port workers, our soldiers, and all those defending freedom," he added.
Andrii Klymenko, the Head of the Black Sea Strategic Studies Institute, reported yesterday that the bulk carrier PRIMUS had departed from the Port of Odesa. Today, this information was confirmed by the Ministry of Restoration of Ukraine.
What preceded this
In July, Russia announced its withdrawal from the "grain agreement," citing alleged non-compliance with its terms. Concurrently, the Russian military initiated artillery attacks on Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure in the south of Ukraine.
As reported recently, Ukraine declared the opening of temporary corridors for trade vessels in the Black Sea. However, the Ukrainian Navy underscored that the threat from Russia still looms. These routes are primarily intended for the departure of civilian ships that have been stranded in Ukrainian ports such as Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the onset of the conflict.
On August 16, the first ship departed from the Port of Odesa after the suspension of the "grain agreement."
