UN emergency aid coordinator Martin Griffiths said on Thursday in New York that some already loaded freighters are ready to depart from the Black Sea ports. “And we had been waiting for that to happen, even today or tomorrow.”
So far, the exact corridor for safe transport through partially mined areas has not yet been finally determined by the joint control center of the warring parties, the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul. However, Griffiths emphasized that he believes this will happen quickly. After that, exports from the ports should eventually reach the pre-war level of about five million tons per month.
Common Control Center
On Friday, wartime opponents Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement with the UN and Turkey to allow grain exports from Ukraine from three ports. According to Ukrainian sources, more than 20 million tons of grain from last year’s harvest are still waiting to be exported. After the Russian invasion at the end of February, port operations were suspended for security reasons – Moscow was accused of blocking the grain. The UN increasingly fears hunger crises in the world due to the lack of grain deliveries.
In the Joint Coordination Center (JCC), the representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN should make the necessary decisions together and with equal rights, Griffiths said. This also includes direct communication between Russians and Ukrainians.
worry about safety
The export of Ukrainian grain could start up again within days after last week’s agreement – theoretically. But there is a lack of staff. “The main concern at the moment is the safety of the crews,” said the managing director of Danica, a company specializing in the provision of ship crews. Ukraine has mined nearby coastal areas to defend against the Russian invasion.
More than 1,500 seafarers have been evacuated to safety since the war began. Ukrainian sailors are hardly available as they are supposed to defend their country. Russian personnel reject Ukraine over security concerns. Therefore, international teams are in demand, but they can turn down the risky mission.
Only 450 sailors on ships
“Unless the Ukrainian authorities are helped to clear the mines and create a safe corridor, seafarers are putting their health and safety at serious risk,” said Stephen Cotton, chief of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). After the ITF trade union classified the waters off Ukraine as a high-risk area, personnel from abroad can refuse to work in the areas. Industry sources said those willing to volunteer could ask for more money.
According to the UN maritime agency, only 450 seafarers are currently working on ships stuck in Ukraine. At the beginning of the war at the end of February there were still around 2,000. The ITF is calling for the suspension of conscription for Ukrainian seafarers to address the shortage of personnel. Trade unions have therefore already made representations to the government in Kyiv.
25 million tons of grain are stuck
Around 25 million tons of grain have been stuck since the Russian attack on Ukraine. However, African countries in particular are dependent on deliveries from Ukraine – one of the world’s largest grain exporters. After lengthy negotiations, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey signed an agreement on Friday to resume grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports. This is intended to secure the urgently needed supplies to the world market.
Before the war, Ukraine and Russia accounted for around a third of global grain exports. With the resumption of deliveries, the global increase in food prices is to be curbed and a hunger crisis – which according to the UN threatens 47 million people mainly in the Middle East and Africa – is to be avoided.
Source: Nachrichten
