The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is not yet allowing ships to enter the ports of Greater Odesa outside the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which will expire on 17 July.
The Ukrainian Grain Association’s President Mykola Horbachov stated this, the CFTS portal reports, citing the Latifundist publication.
"This is option B. It involves both the Danube ports and the additional financial instruments that will allow us to insure ships calling at the ports of Greater Odesa for those companies that want to ship grain directly without the grain deal. However, the Ministry of Defense is currently not giving us this opportunity," he said.
Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Development Yurii Vaskov added that the humanitarian maritime corridor that the Black Sea Grain Initiative established to allow ships to export grain and other foodstuffs from Ukraine does not limit the alternative scenarios in any way. According to him, it only establishes specific coordinates of ship routes when the four parties to the initiative confirm that the routes are safe.
"If you are asking about the operations of deep-water ports outside the framework of the grain corridor, then all the entities on which this issue depends are definitely working on it. As for the insurance fund. The fund has been adopted, the relevant amendment to the state budget has been adopted, and the procedures for government use of this fund exist. However, I am not ready to answer questions about the specific timing of its launch because it is a matter not only for our agency," Vaskov said.
