Black Sea shipments could rise with new Ukraine route announced

Merchant vessels have a new route to reach three ports in war-torn Ukraine, a move that could further boost shipments of food out of the Black Sea where disruptions earlier this year sent wheat prices to a record.

The new 320-nautical-mile route connects Ukraine’s ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi/Yuzhny with inspection areas inside Turkey’s territorial waters, according to a press release Thursday from the Joint Coordination Centre. The group includes representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations with a mission to ensure the safe transportation of food and fertilizer.

“It allows for shorter transit in the maritime humanitarian corridor and easier planning for the shipping industry,” the group said of the new route that goes into effect Friday. 

The development comes as more than 800,000 tons of grain and other food products have been shipped in recent weeks from Ukrainian ports. Those exports have helped to cool fears of vital supplies running short.