The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain, the Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni, set off from the port of Odesa this morning around 08:30 CEST “escorted” by the Ukrainian tug Bulat under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey that is expected to release large stores of Ukrainian crops to foreign markets and ease a growing hunger crisis.
The Razoni left Odesa for Tripoli, Lebanon. A statement from the United Nations said the Razoni was carrying over 26,000 tons of corn.
Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted a video of the long cargo ship sounding its horn as its headed out to sea.
The ship is expected to reach Istanbul on Tuesday, where it will be inspected, before being allowed to proceed, the ministry said.