Over 600,000 tonnes of agricultural exports already left Ukrainian ports under grain deal -USPA

MOSCOW. Aug 18 (Interfax) - The Egypt-bound I Maria bulker with 33,000 tonnes of corn on board has sailed from the Chornomorsk port in the Odesa region, becoming the 25th vessel to leave Ukrainian ports under the Black Sea grain initiative, Ukrainian media outlets quoted the Ukrainian Sea Port Authority (USPA) as saying on social media on Thursday.

"To date, more than 600,000 tonnes of agricultural products have already been transshipped and sent via the grain corridor," USPA head Oleksiy Vostrikov said.

Five vessels, the largest such convoy since the grain deal took effect, arrived at Ukrainian ports on Wednesday to collect agricultural cargoes, Vostrikov said.

"We see that the market is positively responding to the stable and efficient operations of Ukrainian ports. The number of applications from vessels to enter the Odesa ports is growing. So is the pace at which such applications are being received," he said.

As reported, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed a UN-brokered agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to open a corridor to export grain from three Ukrainian ports - Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi (Yuzhnyi).