Four more grain ships leave Ukraine

• Ukrainian President Zelensky hailed the restart of exports but warned that security threats remained.
• The most recent ships to leave sail are heading for Turkey.
• Ships will be examined as part of an agreement negotiated with Russia and the UN.

Four additional ships transporting grain and sunflower oil have departed Ukrainian ports through a secure maritime corridor.

Due to Russian blockades, millions of tones of grain have been delayed in Ukraine, causing shortages and increased food costs in neighboring nations.

However, the first ship to leave Ukrainian ports since February sailed last week.

The most recent ships to leave sail are heading for Turkey, where they will be examined as part of an agreement negotiated with Russia and the UN.

They set off from the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk on Sunday and will all pass via the Bosphorus strait.

Following the inspections, two of the ships will port in Turkey, while the others will dock in Italy and China.

Ukrainian authorities believe there are convincing indications that grain shipments are secure, and they have pushed cargo firms to return.

President Zelensky hailed the restart of exports in his normal evening speech on Saturday, but warned that security threats remained.

Last month, Russia pledged not to attack ships in transit as part of a compromise mediated by Turkey and the UN, while Ukraine said it would escort boats through mined seas.

The agreement, which is intended to expire in 120 days, may be extended if both parties agree.

The Razoni, the first ship to leave Ukraine last week, left Odesa with 27,000 tonnes of maize heading for the Lebanese port of Tripoli.

Officials have said that it would not dock in Tripoli on Sunday as scheduled.

The Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon informed Reuters on Sunday that the ship had been “delayed,” but provided no more information or a revised arrival date.

The Razoni’s mission, according to the Joint Coordination Centre, will be a trial run, with the experience utilised to fine-tune processes for subsequent voyages.

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