First Grain Export Ship Since Russo-Ukrainian War Fails to Unload in Lebanon

On the 1st (local time), the Rajoni ship departed from Odesa carrying about 26,000 tons of corn.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The cargo ship that resumed grain exports from the Black Sea, which had been blocked due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was denied entry at its destination, Lebanon.

On the 8th (local time), the Ukrainian Embassy in Lebanon announced via Facebook that the Razoni, carrying Ukrainian corn, was refused unloading by the Lebanese buyer. The Razoni, loaded with 26,527 tons of corn, departed from the Ukrainian port of Odesa on the 1st and was expected to arrive in Tripoli, Lebanon, on the 7th.

Prior to this, on the 3rd, the Razoni passed a ship inspection in Istanbul, T?rkiye (Turkey), and then headed to its final destination, Lebanon. However, the Lebanese buyer refused to accept the shipment, citing a delay of over five months in transportation. Consequently, the Razoni changed course to find another country or port to deliver the grain.

The cargo ship changed its destination to the port of Mersin, T?rkiye, and is currently anchored off the southern coast of T?rkiye, Reuters reported citing a ship tracking company. Earlier, the Ukrainian Embassy in Lebanon stated that the arrival was delayed without specifying the exact reason.

The Black Sea route, which had been blocked since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was reopened last month on the 22nd after a four-party agreement mediated by the United Nations and T?rkiye, concerned about the global food crisis, marking a resumption after about five months since the outbreak of the war.

According to the Ministry of National Defense of T?rkiye, starting with the Razoni departing from Odesa on the 1st, approximately 243,000 tons of corn have been shipped from Ukraine on seven vessels so far.