Bad Weather Keeps Grain-Loaded Ship Stuck In Ukraine

A grain-loaded ship, scheduled to leave the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk on Thursday, could not start its voyage due to bad weather and sea conditions, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that two more ships that were inspected on Wednesday in Istanbul are on their way to Ukraine.

"Loading activities continue for ships at the Ukrainian ports," it added.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov on Tuesday said the Osprey S ship at the Chornomorsk port loaded with 30,000 tons of corn was ready to export grain.

On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to reopen three Ukrainian Black Sea ports for exporting Ukrainian grain stuck due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which is now in its sixth month.

To oversee the process, the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul was officially launched on July 27, comprising representatives from the three countries and the UN to enable safe transportation of commercial foodstuffs and fertilizers by merchant ships.

Since the first departure on Aug. 1, a total of 12 ships carrying over 374,000 tons of grain have so far left Ukrainian ports under the deal. -