The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) was inaugurated in Istanbul on 27 July following the Black Sea Grain Initiative launched by Russian Federation, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Nations. From 1 to 15 August, the JCC has authorized a total of 36 movements of vessels (21 outbound and 15 inbound) through the maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea to facilitate the safe exports of grain, foodstuffs and fertilizer, including ammonia, from Ukrainian ports. During this period, 21 vessels have been authorized to move from the Ukrainian ports of Odesa (11), Chornomorsk (6) and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi (4) under the Initiative. Those vessels are carrying a total of 563,317 metric tons (MT) of grain and other foodstuffs. Breakdown: 451,481 MT of corn 50,300 MT of sunflower meal 41,622 MT of wheat 11,000 MT of soya beans 6,000 MT of sunflower oil 2,914 MT of sunflower seed According to information provided to the JCC, the preliminary destinations of Ukrainian food exports so far include: Türkiye: 26% Iran: 22% Republic of Korea: 22% China: 8% Ireland: 6% Italy: 5% Djibouti: 4% Romania: 2% To be determined: 5% Routes of commercial vessels and cargo ownership are determined through commercial activity and they may change en route. The food en route to Djibouti is 23,000 MT of wheat purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) to contribute to the drought response in Ethiopia as part of the WFP’s humanitarian operations. From 1-15 August, the JCC has conducted a total of 27 inspections through its joint inspection teams on inbound and outbound vessels. All ships inspected so far were cleared. As part of its responsibilities, the JCC has been closely monitoring the inbound and outbound movement of vessels through the maritime humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea. It has so far observed on two occasions vessels deviating from the corridor and it has responded appropriately by contacting captains and advising them to follow the coordinates.
The JCC is also providing pre-transit briefs to inbound masters during the inspection process in Istanbul. The JCC continues to assess and review the procedures put in place to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the maritime humanitarian corridor. The Black Sea Grain Initiative aims to respond to high food price inflation and to global food insecurity which is at record levels with tens of millions of people at risk of famine. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Ukraine contributes about 10.3% and 12.6% of global exports of wheat and maize respectively. Its share for sunflower products (seeds and oil) is 48.2%. Restarting exports will free up storage space in Ukraine and avoid wastage. It will also ensure a supply chain of food for this and subsequent harvests. The deal aims to improve global food supply and calm markets. Prices across different food commodities are volatile and can be subject to a range of economic and climatic influences that go beyond Ukrainian exports. Terminology: Outbound: merchant vessels departing the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) heading to Istanbul Inbound: merchant vessels departing from Istanbul heading to the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi)
Contact: Ismini Palla (Ms) Joint Coordination Centre, Black Sea Grain Initiative Istanbul, Türkiye mobile/WhatsApp/Signal: +962770996330, email: palla@un.org
