Black Sea Grain Corridor moved 1.5 million tonnes of Food in First Month

August 31, 2022

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the UN World Food Program has hired a vessel to transport food aid from Ukraine to its final destination. One tiny but significant portion of the 1.5 million tonnes of grain supplied from Ukraine utilizing the new Black Sea channel was delivered by the bulk carrier Brave Commander on Tuesday when it berthed at the port of Djibouti. The bulker carried 23,000 tonnes of wheat for Ethiopian consumers.

The Ukrainian government gave shipping of humanitarian supplies top priority, accelerating the process of loading food relief vessels. So far, two ships have loaded cargo in the Odesa region; one was bound for Ethiopia, the other for Yemen, and both left using the certified safe passage through the Black Sea.

“We make sure that the procedure for receiving, loading, and shipping these vessels is as quick and effective as possible. Unquestionably, such transportation is a top priority for us” Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine’s minister of infrastructure stated. “To boost the amount of food aid, we continue to collaborate with the UN World Food Program. I appreciate the cooperation of our partners.”

The bulker Karteria, the second UN food relief vessel, loaded at Pivdennyi on Tuesday and sailed toward Yemen with 38,000 tonnes of wheat. She was one of six ships using the transit route Tuesday that were leaving Ukraine.

61 vessels and 1.5 million tonnes of agricultural products have left Ukraine in the first month of the Black Sea transit agreement’s operation. Although Ukraine and the UN would both want to see considerably more vessel traffic, this makes a major dent in the 20 million tonne stockpile that Ukraine had on hand at the time of the Russian invasion and naval blockade in February.

“The world cannot afford for food and fertilizer to be held up by anything.” Every shipment that passes through this channel contributes to stabilizing markets, increasing food supplies, and maintaining agricultural output, according to Amir Abdulla, the UN’s coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Also Read: The Great Lakes are Overflowed with Grain This Year