Title: Ukraine Announces “Humanitarian Corridor” to Release Trapped Cargo Ships in Black Sea
Date: August 10, 2022
Ukraine has declared a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea, aimed at freeing cargo ships that have been stranded in its ports since the outbreak of the war with Russia. This move puts Russia’s de facto blockade to the test, as Moscow had previously abandoned a deal to allow Ukraine to export grain.
Initially, the corridor will be applicable to container ships that have been stuck in Ukrainian ports since the invasion in February 2022. These ships were not covered under the previous deal that opened the ports for grain shipments.
The reopening of sea lanes will prove to be a significant challenge for Ukraine, as Russia continues to attempt to reimpose its de facto blockade after renegading on the grain deal last month.
The Ukrainian navy has proposed these routes directly to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As per their statement, the routes will primarily be used for civilian ships that have been stranded in the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdenny since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022.
However, ships will only be allowed to pass through the routes if their owners or captains officially confirm their readiness to sail under the current conditions. The statement also highlighted the risks posed by mines and the military threat from Russia.
Oleh Chalyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s navy, assured that the corridor would be transparent. Cameras will be placed on the ships, and there will be a broadcast to demonstrate that the mission is solely humanitarian and not military in nature.
As of now, there has been no response from Moscow or the United Nations regarding this development.
Over 60 commercial ships remain stranded in Ukrainian ports since the Russian invasion. Their fate has remained unresolved even after the grain export deal was signed last year, allowing the resumption of grain shipments in July 2021. The crew members of many of these vessels have been evacuated, leaving locally hired Ukrainian staff to oversee their management.
Since Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal, it has declared any ships approaching Ukrainian ports as potential military vessels, treating their flag countries as combatants on the Ukrainian side. In response, Ukraine has issued a similar threat for ships approaching Russian or Russian-held Ukrainian ports.
The United Nations has raised concerns about Russia’s decision to quit the deal, warning that it could worsen the global food crisis and disproportionately affect impoverished nations by keeping grain from one of the world’s largest exporters off the market.
Russia has stated that it will only consider rejoining the grain deal if it receives better terms for its own food and fertilizer exports. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, a co-sponsor of the grain deal alongside the U.N., plans to discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin at an upcoming meeting.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba expressed hope that President Erdogan could convince President Putin to rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Nevertheless, concerns remain among industry stakeholders, with a German grain trader highlighting the need for concrete commitments from Russia to ensure the success of the Ukrainian temporary shipping channel.
Reporting by Olena Harmash
Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul, Michelle Nichols, Tom Balmforth, and Reuters bureaux
Writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Alexandra Hudson
Note: This article adheres to the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.