The bulk carrier I MARIA left the port of Chornomorsk for Egypt on Aug. 18 with 33,000 tons of corn on board. This is already the 25th vessel since the launch of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Currently, we already have more than 600,000 tons of agricultural products transshipped and sent through the \u2018grain corridor\u2019,” said Oleksiy Vostrikov, head of the agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He recalled that on Aug. 17 the largest caravan to be loaded with agricultural products arrived at Ukrainian ports \u2013 five ships at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We see how the market reacts positively to the stable and efficient operation of Ukrainian ports,” Vostrikov stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe number of applications for the call of ships to the ports of Odesa is increasing, in fact, as well as the dynamics of receipt of such applications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier, Ukraine signed an agreement on unblocking the export of Ukrainian grain with Turkey and the United Nations on July 22. Russia signed a similar agreement with the United Nations and Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The agreement concerns exports from the Ukrainian sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi. Control over the ports will remain with the Ukrainian side, and no ships, except those that will ensure the export of grain and related products, will be able to enter the ports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, Ukraine needs to export up to 20 million tons of last year’s harvest. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Infrastructure, three Odesa ports can process up to 3 million tons of agricultural products through the “grain corridor” every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n