Ukraine Revives Grain Exports with New Shipping Route Amid Russian Blockade
Ukraine has found a new shipping route to revive its grain exports and bypass a de facto Russian blockade of its Black Sea ports. Repeated airstrikes by Russian forces on Ukraine’s port of Odesa, following Russia’s withdrawal from a deal allowing Ukraine to export its food crops directly to Turkey, had forced the country to seek an alternative export route.
Last week, two ships successfully used the new route without incident, and three more cargo vessels have entered Ukrainian waters in recent days, according to officials. Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July led to its declaration that any vessel approaching a Ukrainian port would be considered a potential carrier of military cargo and a threat. The rising tensions on the Black Sea have raised concerns among Western analysts about the potential for escalating violence involving countries not directly involved in the war.
Since July, Ukraine had been limited to exporting its goods on the Danube River through smaller ports, which have also come under attack. Ukraine also faced difficulties exporting grain to the European Union via road and rail due to opposition from governments in Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia.
However, last week, Ukraine successfully tested a new sea route, with two cargo vessels loaded with wheat sailing along the coast from Romania and then crossing back over the maritime border. Romania, being a member of NATO, provides vessels in its waters with a higher level of security. The second vessel carrying Ukrainian wheat reached Turkey via the Black Sea on Sunday, as shown by maritime traffic monitoring sites.
Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, confirmed on Friday that three more cargo vessels, the Azara, Ying Hao 01, and Eneida, have entered the temporary corridor. Kubrakov stated that the ships would export 127 metric tons of Ukrainian agricultural products and iron ore to China, Egypt, and Spain. The MarineTraffic website, which tracks global shipping, placed the ships near Ukrainian ports south of Odesa on Friday and Saturday, although their locations on Sunday were not specified, possibly due to security reasons.
Ukraine relies on its agricultural sector, with wheat and other food crops being major exports. It is crucial for the country’s economy. In recent days, Russia has not made any public attempts to hinder the progress of commercial vessels using the new route. The Russian navy, the dominant military force on the Black Sea, has faced increasing pressure from Ukrainian missile and drone strikes in and around Crimea, the Russian-annexed peninsula.
Ukraine has been targeting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. It sank the fleet’s flagship, the Moskva, in April last year. However, since July, Ukraine has escalated its attacks. In the latest major strike on Friday, long-range missiles were used to target the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea. The situation remains tense as Ukraine seeks to protect its vital agricultural industry and navigate around the Russian blockade.