Ukraine’s first grain ship arrives in Turkey – National

The first of the ships to leave Ukraine under a deal to unlock grain supplies and avert a possible global food crisis arrived at its destination in Turkey on Monday.

The Polarnet, flying the Turkish flag, docked at the port of Derince in the Gulf of Izmit after leaving Chornomorsk on August 5 loaded with 12,000 tons of corn.

« This sends a message of hope to all families in the Middle East, Africa and Asia: Ukraine will not abandon you, » Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. « If Russia fulfills its obligations, the ‘grain corridor’ will continue to maintain global food security. »

A total of 12 vessels have now been cleared to sail under the Ukraine-Russia grain deal, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations – ten outbound and two bound for Turkey. ‘Ukraine. Some 322,000 tonnes of agricultural products left Ukrainian ports, mostly corn but also sunflower oil and soybeans.

The first ship to leave Ukraine, the Sierra Leone-flagged Razoni, which left on August 1, has yet to reach its destination in Lebanon and anchored off the southern coast of Turkey on Sunday. evening, according to the Marine Traffic website.

2:02
The first shipment of Ukrainian grain since the Russian invasion leaves the port of Odessa

Meanwhile, two other ships, carrying corn and soybeans, left Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.

The Sacura left Yuzhny carrying 11,000 tons of soybeans to Italy and the Arizona left Chornomorsk with 48,458 tons of corn bound for Iskenderun in southern Turkey.

Four ships that left Ukraine on Sunday are expected to anchor near Istanbul on Monday evening, the Defense Ministry said. They are to be inspected on Tuesday.

Under the agreement, ships leaving Ukraine are checked by officials from the three countries and the UN to ensure that they only carry grain, fertilizer or food and no other goods. Incoming ships are screened to ensure they are not carrying weapons.