First vessel since mid-July departs Odesa port via temporary corridor

The first vessel used the temporary corridor for merchant ships to/from the ports of Big Odesa, announced Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

Container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE sailing under the flag of Hong has left the port of Odesa today, August 16, and is proceeding through the temporary corridor established for civilian vessels to/from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine.

She was blocked in the port since February 23, 2022.

The vessel is carrying more than 30 thousand tons of cargo (2 114 containers), including food products.

The corridor will be primarily used to evacuate ships that were in the Ukrainian ports (Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi) at the time of the full-scale invasion of the russian federation.

According to the Navigational Order of the Ukrainian Navy No. 6, temporary routes for civilian vessels to/from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine came into effect on August 8, 2023.

Ukraine offered this route in its application to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Council recognizes Ukraine's international right to free trade navigation and calls on russia to stop any threats and comply with international conventions.

The vessel last sailed under the grain deal on July 16 from the port of Odesa. After the disruption of the grain deal, the russian federation resorted to systematic air attacks on port infrastructure to stop Ukrainian agricultural export. At the same time, there are information speculations and attempts of provocations in the Black Sea to influence the movement of ships to Ukrainian ports.