The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, (INTERCARGO) urges members of the Joint Coordination Centre for the Black Sea Grain Initiative to further extend this important humanitarian initiative when the current extension expires on March 18th.
The agreement also calls for the facilitation of safe navigation for exports of fertilizers, including ammonia. These shipments have not yet commenced, and INTERCARGO warns that they are essential to avoid a global food availability crisis in 2023 due to continued high fertilizer prices.
Those who find themselves in the most need must not be paying the highest price for this tragic conflict.
As uncertainty continues, INTERCARGO reminds all operators of the importance of using all resources available to ensure safety of navigation and to continue to put the safety of bulk carrier crews to the forefront of any commercial decision.
To remind, Ukraine is looking for a one-year extension to the Black Sea Grain Corridor deal, which was first signed in July last year and was extended in November 2022, with the current expiry date being in mid-March. In mid November, UN and Ukraine had agreed to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative by 120 days, aiming to ease global food shortages by facilitating Ukraine’s agricultural exports from its southern Black Sea ports.
