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First vessels to sail from Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi by end of week

Photo: Twitter screenshot Bangladeshi bulker on fire after missile strike
The Third Engineer of the bulker Banglar Samriddhi was killed in missile strike
Ukraine's grain ports are opening again under a recent deal struck with Russia, with the first ships expected to sail this week.

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) reported the ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi open as of July 27. “We can expect the first vessel sailing by the end of the week, as it’s critical to release the vessels which are still blocked in ports,” said ISS.

Once blocked vessels are cleared, activity will continue via convoy, accompanied by a lead vessel.

Under the terms of a deal struck between Russia and Ukraine, grain and foodstuffs are cleared for export, with no cargoes cleared for import. Fertiliser exports have been declared as cleared but are yet to be confirmed, said ISS.

“In this context, ISS Ukraine is ready to provide full range of services, including husbandry, OPA, Owner’s matters, CLS, supply etc. covering Ukrainian ports: Odessa, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi, Izmail, Reni,” the company added.

With the ports open and an agreement in place, questions remain over the insurance and security matters around sending vessels to the major Black Sea ports.

“We underline that we have staff located in the vicinity, and have a number of vendors and sub-agents acting in our name. Our staff safety remains the priority. We’ll keep monitoring the situation and revert with developments,” said ISS.