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First Ukraine grain shipment clears inspectionFirst Ukraine grain shipment clears inspection

Razoni cleared its inspection off Istanbul earlier today and is free to continue its journey to Lebanon.

Gary Howard, Middle East correspondent

August 3, 2022

1 Min Read
MV Razoni Odesa
Alexander Kubrakov via Facebook

The ship is carrying 26,000 tonnes of corn and was the first vessel to leave Ukraine and transit the Black Sea humanitarian corridor under the terms of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Razoni arrived at the Istanbul anchorage on the evening of August 2 after leaving Odesa on August 1.

A three-hour inspection of the vessel was carried out by a civilian team of officials from Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UN. The inspection confirmed that crew and cargo matched the details sent to the initiative’s Joint Co-ordination Centre (JCC).

Razoni’s passage is the first to be authorised under the Black Sea Grain Initiative and acted as a proof of concept for the deal, which could unlock millions of tonnes of grain currently blockaded in Ukraine’s ports.

Foodstuffs and fertiliser have been cleared for export under the deal, with no goods cleared for import.

Ukraine Minister for Infrastructure, Alexander Kubrakov, recently stated that 16 ships blockaded in Odesa since the start of the war were awaiting their turn to sail, and applications for new vessels to arrive to export grain have been received.

“The joint inspection team had the opportunity to discuss with the crew and gain valuable information on the vessel's journey along the maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea that was agreed by the JCC. The JCC will use this voyage in its ongoing work on fine tuning procedures and processes to enable the continuation of safe passage of commercial vessels across the Black Sea under the Initiative,” said the JCC.

Related:Bulker sails from Ukraine with 26,000 tonnes of corn

About the Author

Gary Howard

Middle East correspondent

Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. 

Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events.

Conferences & Webinars

Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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