Ukrainian Grain Export Ship Arrives in Spain for the First Time via Rerouted Export

First Grain Export Success Since February Conflict
Land Shipment to Poland Followed by Sea Shipment

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, Ukrainian grain, which had been stranded due to the Russian military's blockade of the Black Sea, has arrived in Spain for the first time via a detour export route. Ukraine plans to increase export volumes by securing detour routes together with neighboring countries Poland and Romania, raising expectations that this will help alleviate the global food crisis.

According to CNN on the 13th (local time), the Finnish-flagged grain export ship Alppila, carrying 18,000 tons of Ukrainian corn, arrived at the port of La Coru?a in northwestern Spain. This is the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 that a vessel carrying Ukrainian grain has reached its destination.

The grain is reported to have been successfully exported for the first time through a detour export route secured jointly by Ukraine and its neighboring countries Poland and Romania. The day before, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik stated in a press release, "We have secured a detour route for grain exports in cooperation with Poland and Romania," adding, "We will ensure that more than 20 million tons of grain trapped in ports can all reach their destinations." Since the outbreak of the war, the Russian military has blockaded the Black Sea area and launched large-scale airstrikes on major ports, leaving over 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain stranded at ports.

The secured detour export route is known to include both land and sea shipments. According to Agafac, a Spanish animal feed manufacturer that imported the Ukrainian corn, the grain was first transported from Ukraine by vehicle and rail to the port of ?winouj?cie, located on the Baltic Sea in western Poland, and from there loaded onto ships to be transported to Spain.

The Ukrainian government plans to increase the volume of grain exports via detour routes in mutual cooperation with Poland and Romania. However, since the shipping process is complex and requires land loading midway, the amount that can be transported at one time is limited, making it difficult to immediately resolve the food crisis.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.