US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Washington hopes that the grain agreement will lead to the export of Ukrainian wheat to the world, while Turkey expected the first shipment of grain to be loaded this week, while Russia saw that the implementation of the grain shipment agreement is still early.

Last week, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement to resume exports of grain and fertilizer stuck in the Black Sea, and Turkey on Wednesday opened a center to coordinate the resumption of shipments.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that military and civilian coordination to secure the transit of grain shipments will be with Turkey.

He added, upon inaugurating the Coordination Center in Istanbul, that the start of the monitoring mechanism is a historic step, and that the period of application of the mechanism will be 120, and then it will be reviewed after that.

Turkish optimism

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin had expected the ships carrying grain under the Istanbul agreement between Ukraine and Russia within two weeks.

And he confirmed in statements to Bloomberg Agency, on Wednesday, that the signing of the Istanbul agreement took place after an agreement was reached between Russia and Ukraine.

He pointed out that this development, if it continues and gets the support of all parties, would also help build confidence between the two parties to prepare the ground for signing ceasefire agreements, exchanging prisoners and establishing peace.

Kalin explained that the coordination center to be established in Istanbul (to supervise the shipment of grain), will include representatives of 4 parties.

He said that Turkey was disturbed when the attack took place last Saturday (on the Ukrainian port of Odessa), and immediately discussed the issue with the Russian and Ukrainian sides.

He noted that Turkey is waiting for all parties to fully comply with the terms of the grain shipment agreement that serves the Russians and the Ukrainians.

Reuters also quoted a Turkish official as saying that all the details were discussed, including providing a safe route for ships that does not require the removal of naval mines.

"It won't take more than a few days. It looks like the first shipment of grain will be loaded this week and exported from Ukraine," said the official, who asked not to be identified.


probability of failure

On the other hand, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the failure of the grain agreement should not be ruled out if sanctions that impede the export of Russian agricultural products are not immediately removed, adding that exports from Russia and Ukraine should start simultaneously.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said that talking about the implementation of the grain shipment agreement is still early, and that the parties continue to prepare for the mechanisms necessary to implement the agreement.

Ivan Nachayev, Deputy Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said during a press conference that it is too early to talk about the implementation of the agreement, as it has only been several days since it was signed in Istanbul.

He pointed out that the parties to the agreement, Russia, Ukraine, the United Nations and Turkey, are working on preparing the necessary mechanisms to achieve the agreement's objectives.

He pointed out that his country supports the commitment of the parties to their responsibilities in the agreement and its effective implementation.

Crop damage

The Ukrainian army accused the Russian forces of bombing and damaging 230 hectares of the wheat crop in the southern Mykolaiv province, and said that the bombing had damaged the new season's crop.

Despite these accusations, it is not likely that the fires in the crops will constitute a major obstacle to the implementation of the agreement, due to the presence of large quantities of grain awaiting the completion of the export procedures, which means that the role of this factor in obstructing the agreement remains very limited.


seafarers shortage crisis

There are fears that finding a sufficient number of sailors willing to sail the ships stuck in the ports of Ukraine will pose a major challenge to the success of the proposed grain corridor agreement, which aims to ease the global food crisis.

There are still about 80 ships stranded in Ukraine, and after most of their crews have been evacuated, more sailors are needed in the region to move the cargo.

It can be difficult to find people willing to work in the midst of conflict, said Henrik Jansen, managing director of Danica, which specializes in hiring crews for ships in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

"The main concern at the moment is the security of crew members," he added.

At the start of the war in late February, some 2,000 sailors from around the world were stranded on 94 ships in Ukrainian ports.

Data from the United Nations International Maritime Organization and sources from the shipping industry indicate that only about 450 seafarers remain on board the remaining 80 vessels, most of which are grain-carrying as well as other cargo ships.

Under the deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last week, the first shipments of Ukrainian grain could theoretically leave Black Sea ports within days.

But it is not expected that many sailors will be willing to travel to the area until they see how safe the first ships will be when they pass through the safe passage, as they must be carefully guided to avoid sea mines.

Since the war began on February 24, two merchant sailors have died and two of the seven merchant ships hit by shells have sunk off the Ukrainian coast.

"Until the Ukrainian navy helps the Ukrainian authorities clear these mines and establish safe passage, seafarers will face significant risks to their safety while navigating these waterways," Stephen Cotton, ITF general secretary, told Reuters.

The London insurance market had put the entire region on a separate list as high risk, which means higher costs for shipments.

On July 22, 2022, a ceremony was held in Istanbul, under the patronage of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the signing ceremony of the initiative document for the safe shipment of grain and foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations.

The agreement guarantees securing exports of grain stuck in the Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea (Eastern Europe) to the world.

The city of Istanbul witnessed, earlier on Wednesday, the opening of the coordination center to ensure the safe shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports.

On July 22, under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a signing ceremony took place in Istanbul for the Safe Shipping Initiative for Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports between Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations.