Ukraine Offers Safe Passage to Vessels

Begins Registering Ships for its Humanitarian Shipping Corridor

Padmesh Prabhune

Ukraine has proposed the “Humanitarian Corridor” directly to the International Maritime Organization in line with the recognition that it has a right to free commercial navigation, which is guaranteed by international maritime law.

It is learnt that Ukraine has reportedly started registering ships only days after it announced creation of the corridor in the Black Sea last week. The temporary corridor is meant to release ships trapped in Ukrainian ports since the Russian invasion started, as these vessels were not covered in the recently terminated grain export deal. Around 60 ships are still stuck at the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdenny. Most of the vessels are containerships, which were not covered by the Black Sea Grain initiative (BSGI).

According to Reuters, Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Naval Forces and the Armed Forces of Ukraine addressing the local media, said that the vessel registration process is open for ships interested in using the new passage.

He added “The decision to open these sea lanes was approved after Russia’s withdrawal from the BSGI. The main objectives are to overcome the international humanitarian crisis and provide an opportunity for ship owners and companies to finally take back their ships, which have been in captivity since the beginning of full-scale Russian armed aggression.”

However, without a commitment from Russia that it will respect the corridor, the threat of attacks for ships that might participate still persists. Although the Ukrainian Navy has guaranteed security for ships using the temporary corridor, some shipping agents are jittery that the risk of a ship being hit is too high to permit sailing at the moment. The recent Russian boarding of an inbound Palau-flagged freighter reinforces this concern.

Experts are of the view that people would want more details about the Ukrainian temporary shipping channel as it cannot work unless Russia gives a concrete commitment not to attack the ships.

Further, insurers have cautioned that Russian and Ukrainian Black Sea waters are still within an elevated war risk area. “Now that the BSGI has come to an end, any voyage charter parties to Ukrainian Black Sea ports are frustrated. In such cases, it is always better to seek a negotiated end to the charter or agreement to an alternative fixture since the losses fall where they lie once a contract is frustrated,” marine insurance firm Gard said in an advisory.

–Marex Media