Oleksandr Kubrakov, Vice Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine, Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure, announced this on Facebook.
"The bulk carrier PUMA (Cayman Islands) left the Odesa seaport this morning and is now heading to the Bosphorus through the established corridor of ship traffic. The vessel is loaded with 16,000 tons of metal and 14,000 tons of rapeseed," Kubrakov wrote.
The bulk carrier entered the Odesa seaport on February 19, 2022 and could not leave the port due to the outbreak of hostilities and the shutdown of the relevant areas of the Black Sea.
The corridor defined by the navigational order of the Ukrainian Navy is primarily used to evacuate ships that were in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi at the time of the full-scale invasion.
Given the blocking of the Grain Initiative and the world's growing demand for Ukrainian products, Ukraine is considering using it for civilian ships carrying non-military cargo, including grain, mainly to Africa and Asia.
Since August 15, four ships have already used the temporary corridor. The container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE, bulk carriers PRIMUS and ANNA-THERESA with OCEAN COURTESY have already passed through this route on August 16, 27 and September 1, respectively.
On 17 July, Russia announced the termination of the grain deal. In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it was necessary to continue using the grain corridor even despite Russia's withdrawal from the agreement. And Kuleba began urgent consultations at the UN.
On July 30, despite the completion of the grain deal, three civilian cargo ships of foreign origin passed the Russian blockade in the Black Sea and anchored in one of Ukraine's grain ports in the Danube Delta.
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said on August 4 that Ukraine will send ships with its own grain to wherever it deems necessary and will not ask anyone for permission.
On August 10, the Ukrainian Navy announced a temporary humanitarian corridor for merchant ships sailing to and from Ukrainian ports.
On August 16, the first vessel left the port of Odesa after Russia announced that it will terminate the grain deal on July 16, 2023. On the same day, the UN Food Organization emphasized the need to renew the grain agreement to overcome the global crisis.
On Saturday, August 26, the second vessel left the port of Odesa after Russia announced the termination of the grain deal on July 16, 2023.
On September 1, two more vessels blocked due to the war left the Pivdennyi port in Odesa region.