Increased Movement of Ukrainian Cargo Ships via Civilian Route Despite Russian Threats

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In defiance of Russian warnings, another cargo vessel has embarked on a journey from Ukraine, marking the third such incident in recent times. Maritime authorities have disclosed that the Anna-Theresa, a bulk carrier registered under the Liberian flag, is presently positioned a short distance away from Bulgarian territorial waters. This development transpired on Saturday, further underscoring the persistence of Ukrainian maritime activities despite geopolitical tensions.

The Anna-Theresa, laden with a substantial cargo of 56,000 tons of pig iron, commenced its voyage from the port of Yuzhny in Ukraine on the preceding Friday. Providing additional insight into the situation, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister, articulated that the Ocean Courtesy, a vessel flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, also left Yuzhny on the same day. Laden with 172,000 tons of iron ore concentrate, the Ocean Courtesy is anticipated to arrive at the Black Sea port of Constanta in Romania on Saturday afternoon, as per the information furnished by the reputable global ship tracking platform, MarineTraffic.

Both of these vessels opted to traverse a temporary corridor designed for the passage of civilian ships from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports to the Bosporus Strait. Minister Kubrakov conveyed this information via the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. Notably, this designated corridor charts a course along the western fringes of the Black Sea, strategically bypassing international waters while making use of the waters under the jurisdiction of NATO member states, namely Romania and Bulgaria.

It is worth highlighting that the authorities at the port of Varna in Bulgaria have refrained from confirming whether the bulk carrier, Anna-Theresa, will dock at the port or continue its journey through the Bosporus Strait.

This sequence of events signifies the third and fourth instances in which vessels have adopted the interim corridor conceived by Ukraine’s government. The establishment of this route came in response to Russia’s decision to terminate a wartime agreement that had facilitated secure grain exports from Ukraine. Intriguingly, these ships had remained moored at Ukrainian Black Sea ports even before Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of its neighboring country.

Coincidentally, the timing of these departures coincides with the official announcement of a forthcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This high-level diplomatic encounter is scheduled to transpire on Monday in the resort city of Sochi, situated along Russia’s Black Sea coastline. This dialogue assumes significance as it transpires just over six weeks subsequent to Moscow’s repudiation of a previously brokered agreement facilitated by Ankara and the United Nations. This accord had facilitated the unobstructed transportation of Ukrainian grain to global markets, thereby circumventing the challenges posed by the ongoing 18-month-long conflict.

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More about Geopolitical tensions

• MarineTraffic: Global ship tracking platform providing real-time vessel tracking and maritime information.
• NATO: Official website of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, an intergovernmental military alliance.
• Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry: Official website of Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure, offering information on transportation and infrastructure developments.
• Russia-Ukraine Conflict: BBC’s coverage of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation, providing official statements and updates.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Official website of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, offering insights into Turkish government activities.
• Black Sea: Encyclopedic entry about the Black Sea, providing geographical and historical context.
• Ankara and the U.N. Agreement: Reuters coverage of the Ukrainian grain export agreement brokered by Ankara and the U.N.
• Russian-Turkish Diplomatic Meeting: Al Jazeera’s coverage of the scheduled meeting between Putin and Erdogan.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Council on Foreign Relations’ background on the Ukraine crisis and its geopolitical implications.