Two Turkish-owned bulk carriers arrived in Ukraine on Saturday, September 16, defying Russia’s moratorium on grain transportation following the end of the Black Sea agreements brokered by the United Nations and Turkey.
They were the first large ships to arrive, both bound for the port of Chornomorsk, southwest of Odessa.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said: “The bulk carriers Resilient Africa and Aroyat have confirmed their readiness to use the route to the Chernomorsk port to load almost 20,000 tons of grain for the Africa and Asia. The ships fly the flag of Palau and their crew is made up of citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Ukraine.”
Yesterday, Oleksandr Kubrakov, announcing that the fifth merchant ship had used Ukraine’s humanitarian corridor to escape after more than 18 months in Odessa, referred to the possibility of arriving ships using the same route along the western Black Sea coast , sailing through Bulgarian and Romanian waters. He said they are ‘considering’ using the route due to the growing need for agricultural products. He also said that the possibility of sending Ukraine’s agricultural exports mainly to Asia and Africa along this corridor is being considered.
Kubrakov also reported that he went to Constanta yesterday for ‘an important meeting with colleagues from Romania, the United States, Moldova and the European Commission to find the best solutions for the development of export logistics’.
They agreed to organize additional transshipment points in Constanta and to maximize the efficiency of the Sulina Canal, which connects Constanta to the Danube. Ukraine has sought to expand these alternative routes as a strategy to continue grain shipments that are critical to the country’s foreign trade and economy.
Also yesterday afternoon, the Ukrainian Maritime Authority confirmed that both ships had arrived in port. The ships’ AIS signal also highlighted their arrival. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture also confirmed the arrival on its social media accounts saying the grain would be loaded and sent to Egypt and Israel.
The Aroyat, an 18,315 dwt bulker built in 1997, appears to have departed from the Turkish port of Diliskelesi east of Istanbul bound for Ukraine. Registered in Palau, the vessel is operated by a Turkish company.
The Resilient Africa, a 3,267 dwt bulker is a smaller vessel but also registered in Palau and operated by a Turkish company. This shows that she came from the Romanian seaport of Constanta, which is also used to support Ukraine’s grain shipments after the end of the export agreement.
United Nations officials have complained that their organization was not involved in these latest shipments. The United Nations has called for the resumption of shipments and unofficially welcomes news of these shipments and all efforts to restart grain shipments. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had recently tried, but failed, to convince Vladimir Putin to accept a new grain deal.
Observers see today’s arrival as Ukraine’s latest effort to increase grain shipments and test Russia’s resolve to stop commercial ships.
The UK recently said the Royal Air Force is observing ships in the Black Sea in a bid to also dissuade Russia from interfering with merchant shipping. Since Ukraine announced the corridor in mid-August, five ships have used it to escape from Black Sea ports.
Abel Carruezzo
The Turkish-operated bulk carrier Aroyat was one of two to use the corridor to sail inbound to Ukraine to load grain; photo courtesy Authority Sea Port Ukraine)
Odessa. Two Turkish-owned bulk carriers arrived in Ukraine on Saturday, September 16, defying Russia’s moratorium on grain transportation following the end of the Black Sea agreements brokered by the United Nations and Turkey.
They were the first large ships to arrive, both bound for the port of Chornomorsk, southwest of Odessa.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said: “The bulk carriers Resilient Africa and Aroyat have confirmed their readiness to use the route to the Chernomorsk port to load almost 20,000 tons of grain for the Africa and Asia. The ships fly the flag of Palau and their crew is made up of citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Ukraine.”
Yesterday, Oleksandr Kubrakov, announcing that the fifth merchant ship had used Ukraine’s humanitarian corridor to escape after more than 18 months in Odessa,
has addressed the possibility of arriving ships using the same route along the western coast of the Black Sea, sailing through Bulgarian and Romanian waters. He said they are ‘considering’ using the route due to the growing need for agricultural products. He also said that the possibility of sending Ukraine’s agricultural exports mainly to Asia and Africa along this corridor is being considered.
Late yesterday, the Ukrainian Maritime Authority confirmed that both ships had arrived in port. The ships’ AIS signal also highlighted their arrival. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture also confirmed the arrival on its social media accounts saying the grain would be loaded and sent to Egypt and Israel.
The Aroyat, an 18,315 dwt bulker built in 1997, appears to have departed from the Turkish port of Diliskelesi east of Istanbul bound for Ukraine. Registered in Palau, the vessel is operated by a Turkish company.
The Resilient Africa, a 3,267 dwt bulker is a smaller vessel but also registered in Palau and operated by a Turkish company. This shows that she came from the Romanian seaport of Constanta, which is also used to support Ukraine’s grain shipments after the end of the export agreement.
United Nations officials have complained that their organization was not involved in these latest shipments. The United Nations has called for the resumption of shipments and unofficially welcomes news of these shipments and all efforts to restart grain shipments. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had recently tried, but failed, to convince Vladimir Putin to accept a new grain deal.
Kubrakov also reported on his social media that he went to Constanta yesterday for ‘an important meeting with colleagues from Romania, the United States, Moldova and the European Commission to find the best solutions for the development of export logistics’.
They agreed to organize additional transshipment points in Constanta and to maximize the efficiency of the Sulina Canal, which connects Constanta to the Danube. Ukraine has sought to expand these alternative routes as a strategy to continue grain shipments that are critical to the country’s foreign trade and economy.
Observers see today’s arrival as Ukraine’s latest effort to increase grain shipments and test Russia’s resolve to stop commercial ships.
The UK recently said the Royal Air Force is observing ships in the Black Sea in a bid to also dissuade Russia from interfering with merchant shipping. Since Ukraine announced the corridor in mid-August, five ships have used it to escape from Black Sea ports.
This article is originally available on : ilnautilus.it
