First Ukrainian grain shipment reaches Turkey

Turkey Aug 8 RT.com- The Turkish dry-cargo ship Polarnet carrying grain from Ukraine moored at the port of Derince near Istanbul on Monday, Turkey’s TRT TV channel has reported. The vessel was the first to leave Ukraine under a deal by Moscow and Kiev to unblock grain supplies. 

Representatives of the joint grain export coordination center in Istanbul had inspected the vessel, after which it was allowed to pass through the Bosphorus Strait to port. 

A total of 10 ships – eight outbound to Turkey and two headed to Ukraine – have now been authorized to sail under the grain deal reached between Ukraine and Russia, which was brokered by Turkey and the UN.

In late July, Moscow and Kiev agreed in Istanbul on a deal allowing the resumption of exports from Ukrainian ports. The agreement also includes shipments of Russia’s grain, as well as fertilizers and the raw materials to produce them. Under the arrangement, ships en route to or from Ukraine are inspected by officials from the three countries and the UN to prevent weapons being smuggled in or out of the conflict zone.