Ukraine announced on Thursday a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea, allowing cargo ships that have been trapped in its ports since the outbreak of war last year to set sail. This announcement is a new test of the effective Russian blockade since Moscow's withdrawal from the grain export agreement. Initially, the humanitarian corridor will apply to ships, such as container vessels, that have been stranded in Ukrainian ports since the invasion in February 2022 and were not included in the agreement that opened Ukrainian Black Sea ports for grain shipments last year.
The Ukrainian Navy stated, "Kyiv has directly proposed the corridor to the International Maritime Organization." The corridor will primarily be used by civilian ships docked in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the start of the comprehensive Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. Ukraine indicated that "ships whose owners/captains officially confirm their readiness to sail under the current conditions will be permitted to pass through the corridor," adding that the risk of mines and Russian military threats still exists in the Black Sea.
Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Oleksiy Chalyk told Reuters, "The corridor will be extremely transparent; we will place cameras on the ships, and there will be a broadcast to show that this is a purely humanitarian mission with no military purposes." However, sources in the shipping and insurance sectors familiar with Ukraine's stance stated that they had not received information about the new corridor and had questions regarding its sustainability. They added that it is unlikely that most ships would agree to sail at this time.
An insurance sector source noted, "Approval will need to be obtained from insurance companies and the banks that finance them, and they may not accept the risks." Another source in the shipping sector commented, "The possibility of many sailors being killed (in case a ship is shelled) has not been discussed, and this is a fundamental issue." For his part, United Nations Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stated that "safe navigation for commercial vessels was one of the advantages of the Black Sea Initiative, which we hope to resume." He added, "International humanitarian law must be adhered to on land and at sea."
