Cargo ships moving via Ukraine's Black Sea corridor after 3-day pause: STC

Four vessels left Ukrainian Black Sea ports in the Odesa region on Friday as shipping via a new export corridor resumed after a three-day pause, independent transport sector consultancy STC said.

"On October 27, vessel traffic in the temporary Black Sea corridor announced by Ukraine resumed," STC said in a report.

It said the Propus, Iasos, Gloria G and Manassa Queen had sailed from Odesa ports while the tanker Mavka, bulk carrier Golden Arrow and general cargo vessel Maranta were currently heading to Ukrainian ports.

Ukrainian infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov later said the four vessels were carrying almost 130,000 tonnes of grain and 10,000 tonnes of metal to countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Kubrakov, writing on X, formerly Twitter, said 11 civilian vessels had called at three Black Sea ports — Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi — to load almost 225,000 tonnes of agricultural and metal products.

On Thursday, the Kyiv-based Barva Invest consultancy, British security firm Ambrey and a specialised outlet, Ukrainian Ports, reported that Ukraine had suspended use of the corridor due to a possible threat from Russian warplanes and sea mines.

Ukrainian officials denied this and President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday the corridor would continue to function despite threats.

Ukraine has been using the corridor to try to revive its seaborne exports, defying threats from Moscow which quit a UN-brokered deal in July that had allowed some food exports to flow despite the war.

Ukrainian officials had earlier reported 23 ships loading at the three ports as of Thursday.

Kubrakov said a total of 62 vessels had used the corridor, with 37 already exporting more than 1.3-million tonnes agricultural products and other cargo.