First ship carrying Ukrainian crops arrives at its destination

MOSCOW. Aug 8 (Interfax) - MV Polarnet, one of the first participants in the initiative for safe grain and food transportation from Ukrainian ports, has passed an inspection in Istanbul and has reached its destination in Turkey.

"This is the first successful experience of the grain initiative, which makes us optimistic about the prospect of further transportation," the Ukrainian media quoted Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov as saying in a statement on the ministry website.

According to the ministry, MV Navi Star and MV Rojen, which left the ports in the same convoy as MV Polarnet, will reach their destinations in approximately one week.

The opportunity of using all three ports of Greater Odesa within the framework of the Istanbul grain initiative can increase the daily transshipment amounts to three or five ships within the next two weeks, he said.

"Our goal is to scale up transshipments in ports. We are planning to achieve the transshipment of three to five ships per day within the next two weeks," the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) quoted Kubrakov as saying when MV Sacura carrying 11,000 tonnes of soybeans left the Pivdennyi port for Italy on Monday.

In all, eight ships carrying over 250,000 tonnes of corn, sunflower seed and sunflower oil have left the Odesa and Chornomorsk ports within the framework of the grain initiative. Four of them, carrying 84,500 tonnes of crops, have arrived in Istanbul and have passed or are going through inspection by the Joint Coordinator Center (JCC).

Together with MV Arizona, which left Chornomorsk for Turkey on Monday with 48,500 tonnes of corn onboard, the total number of ships has reached ten, and the overall cargo has neared 310,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the first ship since February 27 arrived in a Ukrainian port on August 7. Later that day, the Joint Coordination Center began to inspect the second ship in Istanbul.

"We are working together with the agreement guarantors on the smooth operation of the grain corridor and the compliance with all shipping requirements," Kubrakov said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has also commented on the event. "The first ship with Ukrainian grain has reached buyers in Turkey. This gives hope to every family in the Middle East, Africa and Asia: Ukraine will not abandon you," the Ukrainian media quoted Kuleba as saying on a social network.

Ukraine, Turkey and Russia signed the initiative for safe grain and food transportation from Ukrainian ports under the UN aegis in Istanbul on July 22.