Ukraine exports more cargo through new corridor in 7 months than during whole year of grain initiative with Russia’s participation

This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Recovery.

"We opened the corridor in August 2023, after Russia finally withdrew from the grain initiative and launched systematic attacks on port infrastructure and agricultural facilities. To date, 1140 ships have passed through the Ukrainian corridor, exporting 33.8 million tons of cargo to 40 countries. Of these, 23.1 million tons were products of Ukrainian farmers," commented the head of the ministry, Oleksandr Kubrakov.

According to him, 150 ships are currently waiting to enter the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, with almost 5 million tons of cargo to be exported.

"We can say that we have reached almost pre-war export volumes from the ports of Great Odesa, and we have also introduced a much more efficient logistics route without the participation of the aggressor state, continuing to be a guarantor of the world's food security," the minister said.

What is known about the work of the grain corridor

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 August 4, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would send ships with its own grain to wherever it deems necessary and would 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 12, Ukraine opened the registration of merchant ships and their owners who are ready to use temporary routes to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

On August 16, the first vessel left the port of Odesa after Russia announced that it would terminate the grain deal on July 16, 2023.

As of mid-November 2023, 100 ships sailed through the Black Sea grain corridor, and as of early January 2024, 15 million tons of grain were exported from Ukraine.

As of March 10, 2024, 1,005 ships left Ukrainian ports, exporting about 30 million tons of grain.