Zelenskyy: The first ship passed through the new “grain” corridor

The first ship to pass through the new humanitarian corridor after Russia’s withdrawal from the Grain Agreement.

“Ukraine has just taken an important step towards restoring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. The first civilian ship passed through the new Ukrainian humanitarian corridor, leaving the Odesa port. Now it is heading to the Bosphorus,” said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We are talking about the Joseph Schulte container ship. The ship left the port of Odesa on August 16. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the container ship has been blocked in the Ukrainian port.

Earlier, Ukraine officially informed the International Maritime Organization about the operation of the corridor. IMO once again confirmed Ukraine’s sovereign rights to regulate navigation and called on Russia to stop threats and adhere to international conventions.

“The sea must be safe for everyone. This is fundamental for Ukraine and our partners. “Freedom and security of navigation are fundamental principles of international relations,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

The new temporary “grain” corridor was opened on August 8. The route is primarily used for the departure of civilian vessels that have been in the ports of Greater Odessa since February 24, 2022. Only those ships whose owners and captains officially confirm their readiness to sail in conditions of a military threat are allowed to pass through the new routes.