As a result of our country’s intense efforts, the first step for the solution of the grain crisis was taken on July 22, 2022 by our President, Mr. It was issued with the “Secure Shipment of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports Initiative Document” signed under the auspices.
Following the agreement signed between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar opened the office of the Joint Coordination Center (MKM), which will plan and coordinate the grain shipment, in Istanbul.
Under the coordination of MKM, which works for a purely humanitarian mission, grain ships continue their shipments uninterruptedly as a result of hard work.
The first ship to start shipping after the agreement was the Sierra Leone flagged RAZONI, which departed from the Odessa Port of Ukraine on August 1, 2022. The ship, which came to the north of Istanbul with 27 thousand tons of corn to go to Lebanon, continued its course after the control of the Joint Coordination Center.
The ship named RAZONI was followed by ships such as NAVISTAR, ROJEN, POLARNET, MUSTAFA NECATI, STAR HELENA, GLORY, RIVA WIND, SACURA, ARIZONA, OCEAN LION, RAHMİ YAĞCI. Every ship leaving or going to Ukrainian ports was subjected to comprehensive inspection in the north of Istanbul.
Since August 1, a total of 43 vessels have sailed for grain shipments, 25 of which have departed from Ukrainian ports. 18 ships went to Ukrainian ports for grain shipment.
More than 622 thousand tons of grain have been shipped from Ukrainian ports so far.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.