Ukraine has announced the creation of temporary corridors for merchant vessels sailing to and from Ukrainian ports.

The press service of the Ukrainian Navy announced this.

“According to the Navigational Order of the Ukrainian Navy №6 from 08.08.2023, new temporary routes for civilian vessels sailing to/from the Black Sea ports of Ukraine were announced,” the Navy stated.

Ukraine previously proposed these routes in an appeal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Council of the International Maritime Organisation recognized Ukraine’s right to free trade navigation, which is guaranteed by international maritime law.

It is reported that the vessels will be under military threat and mine danger from the Russian Federation throughout the entire route.

These routes will primarily be used for the exit of civilian vessels that have been in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

Vessels whose owners/captains have officially confirmed their readiness to sail in the current conditions will be allowed to pass through the routes.

Sea denial

On July 17, Russia announced the withdrawal of shipping safety guarantees within the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The statement of the aggressor country noted that without their participation, the agreement would cease to operate on July 18. Thus, Russia was curtailing the maritime humanitarian corridor and restoring the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea.

In response to this, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine warned that from 00:00 on July 21, 2023, Ukraine may consider all vessels heading in the waters of the Black Sea in the direction of seaports of the Russian Federation and Ukrainian seaports on the temporarily occupied by Russia territory of Ukraine as such, carrying military cargo with all the associated risks.

Following the denouncement of the grain deal, Russia attacked Ukraine’s port infrastructure to cut off access to world markets for Ukrainian food. The last ship carrying Ukrainian food left the port of Odesa on July 16.

Russian naval traffic was also disrupted after a successful attack by naval drones on the SIG tanker in the Kerch Strait. It should be noted that the Russian SIG tanker was under US sanctions for transporting fuel to Syria.