During the first year of operation of the Ukrainian Sea Corridor, 64.4 million tons of cargo were transported, including 43.5 million tons of grain.
At the same time, 2,379 vessels used the “sea corridor” during this period, exporting products to 46 countries, the press service of the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure (Ministry of Reconstruction) reported on Friday.
“A strategic necessity for our country, which, despite all the risks, has shown its own alternative shipping route, is another step towards victory over Russia. Summarizing the results of the first year of operation of the temporary sea route, we thank those who made it possible – the Security and Defense Forces and civilian fleet workers,” the Ministry’s press service said on Facebook.
On August 16, 2023, the first vessel to use the sea route, commonly known as the “Ukrainian Corridor,” was the German container ship JOSEPH SHULTE, which had been blocked in the port of Odesa since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Ministry’s press service reminded.
According to the infographics of the Sea Ports Authority, in the second month of the corridor’s operation in September 2023, only 245 thousand tons of cargo were exported, including 34 thousand tons of grain, but in October the cargo turnover reached 1.4 million tons (582 thousand tons of grain cargo), in November – 2.9 million tons (1.14 million tons), in December – 4.9 million tons (1.89 million tons). In January 2024, cargo turnover reached 4.44 million tons (1.87 million tons of grain), in February – 5.2 million tons (2.65 million tons), in March – 5.14 million tons (2.57 million tons), in April – 5, 1 million tons (2.59 million tons), in May – 5.04 million tons (2.24 million tons), in June – 3.67 million tons (1.89 million tons), in July – 3.45 million tons (2 million tons), for two weeks of August – 1.73 million tons (938 thousand tons). t). t).
“The best greeting to the anniversary will be further development and support of the maritime infrastructure. This year, container traffic to the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk has been restored. Further plans are to restore ferry service to seaports and involve seaports in the Mykolaiv region as soon as the security situation allows,” the Ministry of Reconstruction said in a statement.
Earlier, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk, told Freedom TV channel that 2300 vessels used the grain sea corridor over the year and transported more than 60 million tons of cargo.
According to him, the “grain corridor” is actively used by European countries, with Spain and the countries of the global South leading the way.