Zelensky: First civilian vessel passes through Ukraine's new humanitarian corridor

MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - A first commercial vessel has passed a new Ukrainian humanitarian corridor, President Vladimir Zelensky said.

"The first civilian vessel has passed through Ukraine's new humanitarian corridor, departing from the port of Odessa. It's currently on its way to the Bosporus," Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying on his social account.

Ukrainian media also quoted First Deputy Agrarian Policy Minister Taras Vysotsky as saying that, "It's important for us in this situation to ensure safety for vessels and their crews. An accurate analysis will be carried out in the future as to how this process goes and what further steps" are needed, Vysotsky said during a national TV marathon.

Ukraine's state budget for 2023 has allocated UAH 20 billion to insure vessels involved in exporting agricultural produce from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, Vysotsky said.

As reported earlier, the Joseph Schulte container ship sailing under the Hong Kong flag departed the Odessa port on August 16 and was moving along a provisional corridor set up by Ukraine for commercial ships heading to and from its Black Sea ports.

Ukrainian media said the transport corridor would be used primarily for evacuating ships staying in Ukraine's Chernomorsk, Odessa, and Yuzhny ports since the start of the crisis. Provisional routes for commercial ships heading to or from Ukraine's Black Sea ports have been functioning since August 8.