Ukraine resumes sea imports thanks to new transport corridor

Ukraine resumed sea imports thanks to the launch of a new transport corridor in the Black Sea without Russia's participation, Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on the Freedom TV channel on Thursday.

"The bravest set off, although the insurance rates were quite high – about 5% of the value of the vessel and cargo, as far as I know - but despite this, there were brave people who set off first, and now there are already more than 70 ships [waiting]  to enter and about 60 to exit," said Pletenchuk about the results of the corridor's work.

Thanks to the fact that the process got rolling, insurance rates in the corridor began to fall significantly.

"And besides, this channel has already turned from an export channel into an export-import channel," Pletenchuk stated.

The Russians really do not like the work of the Ukrainian corridor, he noted.

"They have what happened without them, which they cannot 'take fare', the Russians have such a word. And this is exactly what they used to play on, the geopolitical tool that was very convenient for them at sea" Pletenchuk said.

"It sticks in their craw that it happened without them, that they cannot obilechivat (take fare -ed) - there is this word used by Russians. And this is exactly what they are used to playing, that geopolitical instrument that was very convenient for them at sea," the spokesman stated.

The Navy will do everything possible to expand this channel, he concluded.

In August 2023, Ukraine opened a new sea route from Odesa, which was initially used to evacuate civilian vessels stuck in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

On September 17, Ukraine's new transport corridor connecting the country's ports to international markets officially became operational for two-way commercial traffic.

It also allowed Ukraine to unblock sea exports for metallurgists. Several of the ships carrying metal products had been in the Pivdennyi Port since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and were finally able to leave in early September 2023.

Read also: Despite risks, Kyiv succeeds in Black Sea naval campaign to restore vital export channels