WFP-Chartered Ship Leaves Odesa with Grain to Afghanistan 29S September 2022
/
3:31
/
MP4
/
262.1 MB

Edited News | UNITED NATIONS , WFP

WFP-Chartered Ship Leaves Odesa with Grain to Afghanistan 29 September 2022

Black Sea exports ramp up, bringing confidence to global commerce and food to most vulnerable

Two months since the Black Sea Grain Initiative kicked into action to help release desperately needed grain and fertilizer from ports in Ukraine and Russia, confidence is returning among global distributors as exports ramp up, UN humanitarians said on Thursday.

Described as a “beacon of hope” by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the signing ceremony for the plan on 27 July in Istanbul with representatives from Russia and Ukraine, the agreement has made it possible for almost 240 vessels to leave Ukrainian ports with some 5.4 million metric tons of grain and other foodstuffs, since 1 August 2022.

“What I am seeing with the Black Sea Grain Initiative is an increase in confidence, confidence in the shipping community, the commercial shipping community,” said Dennis Malone, Representative at the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Odesa, for boats arriving and departing from the Ukrainian port.

“We are seeing the price of shipping insurance reduced, we are seeing the quality of ships that are being used to come in to export the grain are increasing. We are also seeing an increase in confidence in the local community, in the farming community. They are starting to see that their grain is being exported, that the silos are being emptied and that they can start planning for future harvests.”

UN-chartered

One ship leaving Odesa earlier this week, the BC Vanessa, is the fourth humanitarian vessel to be chartered by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) out of Ukraine.

Its precious cargo - 30,000 tonnes of wheat - is destined for Afghanistan, to alleviate the desperate humanitarian emergency there.

Previous UN-chartered shipments taking part in the initiative have delivered wheat to Ethiopia and Yemen. Commercial vessels have also reached destinations including Tunisia with more than 85,000 metric tons of wheat from Ukrainian ports since the agreement was signed, according to the JCC coordinating body.

One result of the deal has been a sharp drop in global food prices, which have allowed people to purchase grain more easily, once again.

Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters, normally supplies around 45 million tonnes of grain to the global market every year.

‘Matter of survival’

After Russia’s invasion of the country on 24 February, mountains of grains built up in silos, with ships unable to secure safe passage to and from Ukrainian ports. Today, although sea routes are open again, serious economic challenges remain for the country’s farmers.

“For the moment, the prices offered are too low,” said Vyachyslav Nevmerzhytskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Farmers of the Odesa region. “Today, I would be selling at a loss because the cost to grow and produce the grain remains (higher). So, if I agree to sell at these prices now then I would be making a loss. Therefore, this is a matter of survival, the financial survival of farm businesses.”

Waiting game

Transporting the grain to the ports also remains incredibly slow. Truck drivers wait in kilometre-long lines to get reach Yuzhny port and some have been stationary for days.

“After the truck is loaded, it takes three to four hours for me to get here, ready for discharge,” one drive told UN News. “But I've been standing (here) for five days. There is no movement, there is no administration, there is no-one to explain how long will we stay here, what to do, to move, to go home.”

In line with the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Ukrainian vessels guide cargo ships seeking passage to and from Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny through a maritime humanitarian corridor in international waters. Their task is to steer well clear of stretches of water that have been mined.

Once the ships near Istanbul, they are inspected by teams from another Joint Coordination Centre based in the Turkish city – as was the case for the BC Vanessa on Wednesday – with representatives from Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UN all involved.

Loaded with humanitarian supplies, the vessel left today Istanbul’s waters, setting an easterly course for the Turkish port of Samsun, where its wheat will be milled.

The flour will then be shipped onto another vessel to Karachi and then transported by road to Afghanistan for distribution.

- ends -

STORY: WFP chartered ship leaves Odesa with Grain to Afghanistan

TRT: 3 mins 31s

SOURCE: UNTV CH

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/UKRAINIAN

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 29 September 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

21. September 2022

  1. Drone shot, Yuzhny port, Ukraine
  2. Medium shot, vessel BC Vanessa in Odesa port
  3. Medium shot, grain getting loaded in BC Vanessa
  4. Wide shot, BC Vanessa in Odesa port
  5. Medium shot, BC Vanessa in Odesa port
  6. Close up, anchor of BC Vanessa
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Dennis Malone, Representative Joint Coordination Center in Odesa: “What I am seeing with the Black Sea Grain Initiative is an increase in confidence, confidence in the shipping community, the commercial shipping community. We are seeing the price of shipping insurance reduced, we are seeing the quality of ships that are being used to come in to export the grain are increasing. We are also seeing an increase in confidence in the local community, in the farming community. They are starting to see that their grain is being exported, that the silos are being emptied and that they can start planning for future harvests”.
  8. Medium shot, crane loading grains into BC Vanessa
  9. Close up, crane loading grains into BC Vanessa
  10. Close up, crane loading grains into BC Vanessa
  11. Drone shot, winter seeds distribution on a field close to Yuzhny port
  12. Wide shot, farmer on his field with tractor
  13. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) – Vyachyslav Nevmerzhytskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Farmers of the Odesa region: Today, some of the largest ports in Ukraine are once again operational, they are working”.
  14. Pan over grain storage
  15. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) – Vyachyslav Nevmerzhytskyi, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Farmers of the Odesa region: I am more concerned with the economic question. For the moment, the prices offered are too low. I would be selling at a loss because the cost to grow and produce the grain remains. So, if I agree to sell at these prices now then I would be making a loss. Therefore, this is a matter of survival, the financial survival of farm businesses”.
  16. Close up, grain mountain
  17. Wide shot, farmer in the filed with tractor
  18. Wide shot, truck drivers cleaning their trucks
  19. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian), truck driver: After the truck is loaded, it takes 3-4 hours for me to get here, ready for discharge. But I've been standing here now for 5 days, there is no movement, there is no administration, there is no one to explain how long we will stay here, what to do, to move, to go home... “
  20. Wide shot, truck driver passing by the line of trucks with port silos in the background
  21. Medium shot, departure of BC Vanessa in Odesa port
  22. Wide shot, BC Vanessa leaving the port
  23. Wide shot, BC Vanessa sailing on the sea

Istanbul, 28 September 2022

  1. Tugboat with JCC team arriving at BC Vanessa for inspection
  2. Medium shot, inspectors arriving on the BC Vanessa
  3. Medium shot, inspection of grain on the BC Vanessa
  4. Medium shot, inspection of grain on the BC Vanessa
  5. Medium shot, meeting of joint inspectors on the boat
  6. Close up, marking samples
  7. Wide shot, vessels waiting to get inspected
  8. Medium shot, BC Vanessa in Marmara Sea

Similar Stories

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNOG

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025 ENG FRA

Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.

Gaza update-OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Gaza update-OHCHR ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on Palestinians killed seeking food in Gaza

Iran update - OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Iran update - OHCHR ENG FRA

Iran-Israel war: UN rights office concerned over strike on Tehran prison, reported espionage arrests

Tehran’s notorious Evin prison known for holding dissidents should not be a target, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday, a day after a reported Israeli strike on the complex.

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza

1

1

1

Edited News

Palestinian refugee from the war in Gaza and photojournalist Motaz Azaiza ENG FRA

Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaiza documents war's impact, gaining global attention but facing personal peril.

Human Rights Council - Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | HRC

Human Rights Council - Iran ENG FRA

As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the continuing exchanges of missile attacks between Tehran and Tel-Aviv.

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025

2

1

1

Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC

HRC Press Conference: Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan -17 June 2025 ENG FRA

Heavy fighting in Sudan continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday.

Gaza mass casualty incidents  WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza mass casualty incidents WHO ENG FRA

More Gazans killed trying to get food, healthcare near to ‘full disaster’

Gaza’s health system is at breaking point, overwhelmed time and again by scores of patients killed or injured near aid distribution sites, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Update on Democratic Republique of Congo to the 59th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Update on Democratic Republique of Congo to the 59th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

La situation en République démocratique du Congo est aujourd’hui encore plus grave et alarmante, a averti lundi le Haut-Commissaire des Nations Unies aux droits de l’homme Volker Türk. 

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Global Update to the 59th Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Global Update to the 59th Human Rights Council ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, highlighting key issues and trends, and the human rights situation in some 60 countries.