Ukraine announces ‘humanitarian corridor’ for ships stuck in Black Sea ports

KIEV, Aug 10 (Reuters) – Ukraine announced on Thursday a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea to free cargo ships stuck in its ports since the outbreak of war, further evidence of Russia’s de facto blockade since Moscow walked out of a deal last month. allow kyiv to export grain.

Initially at least, the corridor would apply to vessels such as container ships that have been stuck in Ukrainian ports since the February 2022 invasion and were not covered by the deal that opened the ports for grain shipments last year.

But it could be an important test of Ukraine’s ability to reopen shipping lanes at a time when Russia is trying to re-impose its de facto blockade, having abandoned the grain deal last month.

In a statement, the Ukrainian navy said Ukraine had already proposed the routes directly to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The routes would “mainly be used for civilian ships that have been in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odessa and Pivdenny since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia on February 24, 2022.”

“Vessels whose owners/masters officially confirm that they are ready to sail under the current conditions will be able to pass through the routes,” the statement said, adding that mine risks and the military threat from Russia remained.

Oleh Chalyk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian navy, told Reuters: “The corridor will be very transparent, we will put cameras on the ships and there will be a broadcast to show that this is a purely humanitarian mission and has no military purpose.”

There was no immediate response to requests for comment from Moscow or the United Nations.

STUCK IN PORTS

About 60 commercial ships have been stuck in Ukrainian ports since the Russian invasion, their fates left unresolved by the deal that allowed grain exports to resume in July last year.

Many of the ships’ crews have been evacuated, leaving locally hired Ukrainian staff to help care for the ships.

Since leaving the grain deal, Russia has said it will treat any ships approaching Ukrainian ports as potential military ships, and its flag countries as fighters on the Ukrainian side. kyiv has responded with a similar threat to ships approaching Russian or Russian-controlled Ukrainian ports.

The United Nations has said Russia’s decision to leave the deal risks worsening a global food crisis, further hurting poor countries by keeping grain from one of the world’s biggest exporters off the market.

Moscow says it will return to the grain deal only if it receives better terms for its own food and fertilizer exports. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, a co-sponsor of the grain deal with the UN, says he hopes to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to rejoin him at talks this month.

“I think it will not be an exaggeration to say that President Erdogan is probably the only man in the world who can convince President Putin to return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister told Reuters. Dmitro Kuleba, in an interview on Thursday.

A German grain trader told Reuters: “People want more details about Ukraine’s temporary shipping channel announced today, as it cannot work unless Russia makes a concrete commitment not to attack the ships.”

Reporting by Olena Harmash Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul, Michelle Nichols, Tom Balmforth and the Reuters offices Writing by Peter Graff; Edited by Alexandra Hudson

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