Follow our live blog about the war in Ukraine here
Three commercial ships left Ukrainian ports on Wednesday with a total of 33,750 tons of food through the maritime humanitarian corridor, official sources announced.
In a statement, the joint coordination center of the so-called “Black Sea Grain Initiative” of the UN said that the first ship left the port of Chornomorsk. bound for Amsterdam, Netherlands, and that transports 18,500 tons of sunflower meal.
The second ship left the Ukrainian port of Odessa. bound for istanbulin Turkey, with 8,000 tons of corn on board and the third ship will arrive, loaded with 7,250 tons of sunflower oil Gubre, also in Turkeyafter leaving Odessa.
In addition, four commercial ships bound for Ukraine were inspected in the Sea of Marmara and released for further navigation: two bound for Odessa, one bound for Chornomorsk and one bound for Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.
On Thursday, teams from the joint coordination center will carry out inspections of several ships.
In accordance with the procedures agreed upon at the joint coordination center, all participants are coordinating with their respective military and other relevant authorities to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels under the Black Sea Grains Initiative.
Until last Monday, Turkey had been the main destination of ships leaving Ukraine (26 percent of the total), Iran (22%), South Korea (22%), among other countries such as China, Ireland or Italy, according to The initiative. launched by Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations (UN) through agreements signed separately by Russia and Ukraine.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative aims to respond to high food price inflation and global food insecurity caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Food insecurity is at record levels, with tens of millions of people at risk of hunger around the world.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Ukraine contributes about 10.3% and 12.6% of world exports of wheat and corn, respectively. Its participation in sunflower products (seeds and oil) is 48.2%.
Resuming exports will free up storage space in Ukraine and prevent waste. It will also secure a food supply chain for this and subsequent crops, according to the CCC.
Source: Observadora
