Last vessel leaves grain corridor in Black Sea

MOSCOW. July 18 (Interfax) - The Turkish vessel TQ Samsun has been the last vessel to pass through the grain corridor in the Black Sea after departing the Odessa port on July 16 with 15,550 tonnes of rapeseed and 23,030 tonnes of corn for the Netherlands and undergoing an inspection on July 17.

Two days before, the TQ Samsun inspected the TK Majestic bulker operating under the Saint Kitts and Nevis flag and carrying 37,870 tonnes of corn for Iraq after departing Odessa on July 13, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Joint Coordination Center's (JCC) statement available on its website.

The TQ Samsun and the TK Majestic were the last vessels to enter the grain corridor on June 28.

According to the JCC information, a total of 32.86 million tonnes of agricultural products have been exported from Ukraine since early August 2022, when the grain corridor started functioning. This amount icludes 16.9 million tonnes of corn, 8.91 million tonnes of wheat, 1.86 million tonnes of sunflower meal, 1.65 million tonnes of sunflower oil, 1.27 million tonnes of barley, 1.0 million tonnes of rapeseed, and 0.8 million tonnes of soybeans.

A total of 1,004 vessels have departed Ukrainian ports during this time, including eight in July, 38 in June, 33 in May, and 64 in April 2023, compared to 178 in September and 180 in October 2022.

The number of inspections of inbound vessels dropped to 22 in June from 40 in May, 54 in April, and 89 in March 2023. September 2022 saw 186 inspections of inbound vessels.

Exports in July amounted to 0.29 million tonnes, compared to 2.02 million tonnes in June, 1.33 million tonnes in May, 2.79 million tonnes in April, and 3.93 million tonnes in March 2023.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, or the grain deal, was signed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022. The United Nations, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed two documents to open a grain corridor from three Ukrainian ports. The JCC comprised of representatives of Ukraine, Turkey, and Russia monitored the vessels and cargos they transported.

Russia on Monday announced the termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the JCC's dissolution, citing the fact that the deal's terms concerning Russia were not implemented. At the same time, Moscow said it was ready to return to the Istanbul accords if and when those terms concerning Russia were fully met.