Ukraine Vows to Expand Black Sea Shipments on First Anniversary of Corridor
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the success of the corridor established by Ukraine in the Black Sea while vowing to increase shipments. The exports continue to play a critical role in the Ukrainian economy while the president seeks to also highlight the humanitarian nature of the shipments.
“Despite the war and Russian terror, Ukraine continues to be a contributor to global food security for dozens of countries, and we are increasing our capabilities,” wrote Zelenskyy on Telegram in his latest update.
Ukraine recently marked the first year of operations of its corridor established after the collapse of the UN-brokered deal with Russia. Ships began sailing from the greater Odesa area in September 2023 following the route to the west along the coast of Ukraine and Romania to reach Turkey. Largely they have proceeded without interference from Russia.
Government officials reported that 2,577 vessels left Ukrainian ports using the corridor. They transported 46 million tons of grains and foodstuffs being exported from Ukraine. According to the report, the cargoes were going to countries including Egypt, Indonesia, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, India, and China.
In addition, the corridor permitted Ukraine to restore shipments of other goods including mining and metals exports. This amounted to 23 million tons in the past year and included steel and iron ore.
Increasing shipments through the sea corridor are also helping Ukraine to offset other losses. Polish farmers blockaded the border to stop the flow of Ukrainian grain which they said was flooding their markets.
The 2024/2025 export season is underway and so far, Ukraine says 8.94 million tons of grain shipped as of September 18. This includes almost 5 million tons of wheat. This comes as Ukraine reported a strong season with farmers completing a harvest of nearly 22 million tons. It was a similar volume to 2023.
Ukraine’s agricultural ministry reports it entered into agreements with traders and agricultural associations to ship approximately 16.2 million tons of grain this season.
Zelenskyy highlights that the military is making the shipments possible through its hard work. Ukrainian seaports especially in the greater Odesa area which account for most of the shipments have come under repeated attack from Russia. Infrastructure including storage has been damaged.
Last week, Ukraine accused Russia of attacking a bulker registered in St. Kitts and Nevis. Zelenskyy published photos showing the damage to the vessel from a Russian missile. The ship reportedly put in to Romania, but there were no reports of casualties. Zelenskyy says with the support of its partners Ukraine has been able to continue the exports despite these attacks.