Vysotskyi dismisses rumors of new rules for Ukraine’s maritime corridor

Information about a meeting involving the President of Ukraine, government officials and military representatives, during which two possible scenarios for the operation of the Greater Odesa ports were reportedly discussed, has been circulating widely among grain market participants.

• The first scenario envisages notifying both sides of a vessel’s arrival through the flag state or the shipowner, after which the parties would refrain from attacking the vessel.
• The second scenario involves introducing short-term “windows of silence” to allow the safe passage of ships.

However, Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Taras Vysotskyi, said that no official agreements on such mechanisms currently exist. According to him, the maritime corridor continues to operate as usual, and Ukraine has not introduced any new procedures or restrictions for vessels calling at its ports. If additional security measures or new operating mechanisms for the corridor are developed in the future, they will be announced officially by the relevant authorities.

The minister stressed that ensuring the safety of navigation remains the top priority, while the only cause of disruptions to the maritime corridor is Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilian vessels and port infrastructure. He also urged market participants to rely exclusively on information from official sources to avoid the spread of unverified reports.

Separately, the government is working on economic support measures for farmers facing difficulties in marketing their crops due to logistical challenges and lower grain procurement prices. The focus is on providing credit facilities and working capital backed by existing inventories. At the same time, direct compensation for price differences or additional logistics costs is not currently under consideration.

Tags: export, restrictions, war, Black Sea grain corridor, Ukraine