Ukraine calls for maritime monitoring amid Russian attacks on Greater Odesa ports

Ukraine has officially requested the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to send a monitoring mission to ports in the southern Odesa region amid intensified Russian attacks, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on 16 October 2024, according to Reuters.

Odesa Oblast has three ports – Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi – that play a crucial role in supporting Ukraine’s economy through exports to global markets and in maintaining global food security. Ukraine’s request comes in response to an ongoing escalation of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s southern port infrastructure. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces have carried out nearly 60 attacks on ports over the past three months, resulting in damage to approximately 300 port infrastructure facilities and 22 civilian vessels.

Speaking at a briefing in Odesa after meeting with his counterparts from the Nordic-Baltic Eight group, Sybiha emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating,

“Amid increased Russian terror, Ukraine has officially appealed to the International Maritime Organization to immediately send an international monitoring mission to the ports.”

Sybiha highlighted that since 6 October, four foreign-flagged civilian vessels have been damaged in these attacks. The strikes have targeted port infrastructure, grain storage facilities, and civilian ships, posing a significant threat to global food security.

Ukraine, a major global grain producer, exported about 6 million tons of grain per month via the Black Sea before Russia’s invasion in 2022. Currently, approximately 85% of Ukrainian food exports are shipped through its Black Sea ports, underlining the critical importance of these facilities to global food supplies.

The recent attacks have had immediate economic consequences, with insurance sources reporting a sharp increase in insurance costs and some booking cancellations, according to RFE/RL’s Russian Service. This development threatens to disrupt Ukraine’s vital export routes further.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the Russian attacks on port infrastructure and civilian vessels directly threaten global food security.

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