Under the flag of Sierra-Leone, the RAZONI ship left Odesa at 9.15 on 1 August and will transport 26k tons of Ukrainian corn to Tripoli in Lebanon, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov reported.
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1554029512832307200?t=iQyAQ5EuO0jSFkhBAfKEJw&s=19&hjsdhjds
He said it will move by corridors guaranteed by Türkiye and the UN. 16 more ships await their turn in Odesa ports; they were blocked there since Russia’s full-fledged invasion on 24 February.
The export follows a grain export deal signed in Istanbul on 23 July.
Called “Initiative on the safe transportation of grain and foodstuffs from Ukrainian sea ports,” it was signed by Türkiye, the UN and Ukraine, and separately, Türkiye, the UN and Russia, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
According to the agreement, the sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi remain under the full control of the Ukrainian side. It is forbidden for any other vessels to be in these ports except for those that are to facilitate the export of grain and associated food products and fertilisers.
The initiative does not weaken the sanctions against Russia. There can be no escort of Ukrainian vessels by Russian ships.
A Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) is to be established in Istanbul under the aegis of the UN and will include representatives of Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye and the UN. The Centre will monitor implementation of the Initiative.
All commercial vessels will be inspected by the inspection teams in harbors determined by Türkiye, at the entrance/exit to/from the Turkish strait.
No warships, aircraft or drones can come closer to the maritime humanitarian corridor than the distance established by the JCC.
