On August 1, the world breathed a sigh of relief: reason, A Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship sailed from the port of Odessa in southern Ukraine with 26,000 tons of grain.
with global markets, rising food pricesThey needed grain from Ukraine, one of the world’s largest producers. Ukrainian food has been curtailed since the Russian invasion in February this year.
this reason was the first of many – and most importantly, because it had to make a dangerous path, full of mines and under a supposedly fragile agreement between Moscow and Kyiv – and their final destination was Lebanon, a country swamped with a severe economic crisis. after two weeks of wandering East Mediterranean, reason Arrived in port this Tuesday. However, it did not approach Lebanon; He did this in Syria.
“The cargo ship stopped its transmission signal in Eastern Cyprus on 12 August and was seen en route to the port that same morning. Thus, it stood at anchor for several days before docking. tartus, [en Siria]”, explained Samir Madanifounder of freighter research company Tanker Followers.
wheat theft
According to many experts, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been systematically stealing wheat and grain from the Ukrainian ports it has captured. This grain was exported illegally and was sent, first of all, to Syria. beshar EsadRussia’s biggest ally in the region.
The procedure is always similar: cargo ships announce that they are going to a particular port when they close their ports on the high seas. transistors and headed for Syria. in case, in case reasonhowever, it has been slightly different.
After the freighter left Odessa on 1 August, the grain buyer claimed to have rejected the product. “quality doubts”. this reason was already in the Mediterranean and docked in its port myrtleinside Turkey, On August 11, he delivered part of his cargo. He set off again the next day, this time with the signal turned off and in the direction of his Russian ally Syria.
“we are not responsible “Even more so after a ship and its cargo leave Ukraine, or even more if the cargo ship in question leaves a foreign port,” he said. Ministry of Transport of Ukraine this is an explanation.
A functional deal
until date, 17 boats They left Ukrainian ports after signing in July Istanbul Agreement between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Russia United Nations For the export of wheat and grain to Ukraine. All these ships inspected in istanbulBefore arriving in Ukraine or after leaving.
With these inspections, Moscow wants to make sure that Kiev does not use these ships for its intended purpose. importing weapons; kyiv, for its part, is making sure its competitors won’t use it opening the ports The Ukrainians, on July 23, a day after the signing of the treaty – with a bombardment – something that already happened to attack them.
This Tuesday, the day reason The first cargo ship paid for by Arrived in Syria. World Food Program (WFP)bound for Horn of Africa.
“It takes much more than Ukrainian grain cargo ships to stop hunger in the worldbut with Ukrainian wheat returning to global markets, we have a chance to stop this spiral. global food crisis”, said the managing director of WFP this Tuesday, David Beesley.