The first vessel leaves the Odesa port through the temporary corridor for merchant ships

The first ship departed the port of Odesa on August 16, after Russia unilaterally withdrew from the grain deal. It is now moving through the temporary corridor for merchant ships.

Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov, announced this.

The Hong Kong-flagged container ship JOSEPH SCHULTE has left the Vorontsov Lighthouse and is heading for the Bosphorus. It is carrying more than 30,000 tonnes of cargo, including food products. 

The vessel has been in Ukraine since February 23, 2022.

The temporary corridor will primarily be used to evacuate vessels that were in the Ukrainian ports Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi at the time of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

The temporary routes for civilian vessels to and from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine were launched on August 8, 2023.