BB.lv: Ukraine managed to resume exports across the Black Sea

With the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, exports through the Black Sea were blocked. The world market lacked Ukrainian goods—primarily grain and oilseeds. Ukrainian producers and the budget receive foreign exchange earnings.

To prevent a sharp rise in grain prices and famine in Africa, an export agreement was concluded under the auspices of the UN and through the mediation of Turkey as part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

During the year of its operation, Ukraine exported about 33 million tons of agricultural products – mainly in the first months. Russia, which under the terms of the deal was supposed to inspect ships carrying grain, deliberately delayed inspections, and in July 2023 unilaterally withdrew from the agreement altogether.

A month later, in August 2023, the first ship left Ukrainian ports, the safety of which was guaranteed only by Ukraine. Then the Ukrainian Navy reported that they had opened a temporary corridor that could be used by all civilian ships, including those located in the ports of greater Odessa (Chernomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny). They were blocked after Russia pulled out of the grain deal. The route was reported to the International Maritime Organization.

In less than six months of the existence of this route, it became clear that it could bring much more to Ukraine than the international grain initiative. And gradually allows us to reach pre-war export volumes.

Already in January of this year, Ukraine exported only 2 million tons less than in pre-war January 2022. Of these, the lion’s share was taken out by sea. This was stated by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko.

The resumed trade route along the Black Sea is often called the “APU corridor” both in the government and among market participants. The military managed to regain control of the western part of Ukrainian waters in the Black Sea.

In mid-April, a British intelligence review said that the Russian Black Sea Fleet was “the least active since the start of the war”: “The Black Sea Fleet has largely withdrawn its ships and submarines from Sevastopol further east to Novorossiysk.”

Behind the meager lines of messages there is a titanic painstaking work, many of the elements of which have not yet been made public for security reasons. “When the war ends, it will be very interesting to read how it really happened,” says Andrei Klimenko, and carefully formulates:

“In certain elements this is akin to the practice of naval convoys that existed during the Second World War from the United States to Great Britain.”

To put it very simply, the mechanism looks like this: a caravan of several ships is formed, which act in coordination with the coordination military headquarters. And he assesses the situation at sea and in the air, and depending on this, gives civilian ships permission to pass.

For ships with a shallower draft, the route passes through the territorial waters of Ukraine, that is, within a 12-mile zone from the coast. For larger ones, it goes a little beyond Snake Island, and then returns to the 12-mile zone again. “The closer to the coast, the easier it is to provide military cover for such caravans in the event of some emergency,” explains Andrei Klimenko.