Nearly a hundred vessels are waiting for permission to enter Ukrainian ports, about two dozen laden ships are preparing for inspections in Turkish territorial waters
According to the local coordination centre in Istanbul, several dry cargo ships, which last weekend passed through a humanitarian maritime corridor as part of a grain agreement, are on their way to Ukrainian seaports.
“On November 5-6, seven vessels arriving in Ukraine passed through the maritime humanitarian corridor within the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, heading to Ukrainian ports.”
It is also noted that the total tonnage of grain and other foodstuffs exported from Ukrainian seaports has already managed to exceed 10 million tons. A total of 426 vessels have departed from Turkish ports.
We shall remind you that Russia suspended its participation in the “grain deal” on 29 October. The Defence Ministry attributed the decision to an attack by Ukrainian drones on the Black Sea Fleet ships in Sevastopol. Three days later, as a result of negotiations brokered by Turkey, the Russian side agreed to resume its participation in the deal.
According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the renewed deal would include free grain deliveries to African countries. The first shipments of grain were to go to Somalia, Sudan and Djibouti.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin said on November 2 that even if Moscow withdraws from the grain deal, it is ready to supply grain to the poorest countries. The head of state made a special emphasis on the fact that the grain deal was conducted under the guise of “saving the poorest countries from hunger”, but they received about 4 per cent of grain from Ukraine. Putin also gave assurances that Russia would not hinder grain supplies from Ukraine to Turkey in the future.