The first vessel has used the temporary corridor for merchant vessels in the Black Sea, announced by Ukraine.
This follows from a statement by Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction/ Minister of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, posted on Facebook, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
"The first vessel used the temporary corridor for commercial vessels to/from the ports of Great Odesa. The container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE (Hong Kong flag) left the port of Odesa and is moving along the temporary corridor established for civilian vessels to/from the Black Sea seaports of Ukraine," he said.
Kubrakov noted that on August 16, the container ship, which had been in the port of Odesa since February 23, 2022, left the Vorontsovskyi Lighthouse and headed for the Bosphorus, with more than 30,000 tons of cargo (2,114 containers) on board, including food.
He emphasized that the corridor would primarily be used to evacuate ships from the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi at the time of the full-scale invasion of Russia.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on July 17, Russia announced the withdrawal of shipping safety guarantees in the Black Sea to ensure the "grain corridor." The last ship with Ukrainian food left the port of Odesa on July 16. After Russia's withdrawal from the Grain Agreement, the aggressor state attacked Ukraine's port grain infrastructure. World leaders, including African countries, called on Russia to stop blackmailing with food and not to hinder Ukrainian agricultural exports.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Commander of the Naval Forces of the AFU Oleksii Neizhpapa and the Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction - the Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov to prepare a set of actions to continue the work of the "grain corridor," and the Ministry of foreign affairs - to develop similar diplomatic steps.
On August 8, the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced temporary corridors for merchant ships going to and from the Black Sea seaports of Ukraine. Ukraine proposed this route in its appeal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Council recognizes Ukraine's international right to free commercial shipping and calls on Russia to stop any threats and adhere to international conventions.
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