Second vessel leaves Odesa port after Russia withdraws from grain deal

This was announced by Andriy Klymenko, project manager of the Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies.

"The second one has left. Let's keep our fingers crossed, we believe in Ukraine’s Armed Forces - the Navy," he said in a social media post.

It is noted that the bulk carrier PRIMUS left Odesa at about 9 am. It had been in Ukraine since 20 February 2022.

According to Klymenko, the vessel is due to arrive in Varna, Bulgaria, on Sunday, 27 August.

The operation of the grain corridor

On July 16, the last ship loaded with Ukrainian agricultural products under the initiative left the port of Odesa. 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.

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.

Southern African countries are trying to convince Russia to return to negotiations on an agreement on the safe export of grain from Black Sea ports, which it abandoned last month. 

On August 2, the United States said it had information that Russia was interested in resuming negotiations on the agreement, which ensured safe Black Sea grain exports.

Erdogan also announced an agreement with Putin on a visit to Turkey to discuss the extension of the grain deal.

On August 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his intention to resume the grain deal with an “expanded scope” and called on Western countries to “fulfill their promises”.

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.