UN says details for safe Ukraine grain shipments still unresolved

UN assistance director Martin Griffiths said he hoped the first grain shipment from a Ukrainian Black Sea port might occur as early as Friday, but “crucial” aspects for vessel safety were still being worked out.

Turkish, Russian, and Ukrainian military officials are working with a UN team at a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul to develop standard operating procedures for the pact reached last Friday.

Griffiths briefed UN members on a comprehensive negotiation based on the accord. Without SOPs, ships can’t pass safely.

“We don’t see any scale happening… without clear, established protocols,” he said.

“The devil is in the details,” he noted, but no big concerns had arisen. Griffiths said secure shipping lines are being negotiated.

Shipping businesses and insurers must be guaranteed that ships and workers are safe against mines and assaults. Standard operating procedure covers these procedures.

“It’s not simply a question of having one, two, or three ships ready to go. Griffiths: “They need to go securely, therefore we must clearly mark the passage.”

Moscow’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine drove food prices rising, exacerbating a worldwide food crisis that the World Food Programme claims has forced 47 million people into “acute famine.”

The accord would enable grain exports into and out of Ukrainian ports, which Russia has blocked since the invasion. Russia says Ukraine slowed supplies by mining port waters.

Griffiths: “We expect initial ship movements will occur within days, maybe tomorrow.”

Griffiths emphasised that the drive to restore Ukraine grain shipments was economic, not humanitarian, although he said the UN hoped poorer nations would be given priority, mentioning Somalia, where 250,000 people are starving.

He added WFP is “actively searching” to acquire Ukraine grain.

Frederick J Kenney from the International Maritime Organization met with insurers and shipping firms on Wednesday, Griffiths said.

“I’m told it was encouraging,” he remarked. “It’s profitable”

Griffiths said ships travelling in to harvest grain would be scrutinised at a Turkish port “to guarantee there’s no contraband or armament.”

Once the ships start moving and the contract is completely completed, Griffiths said port exports should exceed pre-war levels of 5 million tonnes per month. According to Ukrainian statistics, more than 20 million tonnes of last year’s grain are awaiting shipment.

A UN official said the inspections will take place north of the Bosphorus.

UN and Turkish observers in Odesa will put grain aboard ships. Griffiths said a ship would only need another Joint Coordination Centre assessment if it deviates from the plan.

Authorities understood early in discussions that demining Ukrainian port approaches would take too long. UN mining authorities believed it would take four months.

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