A ship carrying 33,000t of Ukrainian grain is en route to Ireland, according to the Turkish defence ministry.

The grain, bought by Irish agri-food company R&H Hall, departed from Odessa Port, Ukraine, on the ship Navi Star early on Friday morning and will arrive at Foynes and Dublin ports in approximately two weeks’ time.

In a post on Twitter, the Turkish defence ministry said the ship, set for Irish shores, will be inspected by officials in the north of Istanbul before continuing its journey.

Brokered agreement

Speaking on Friday, an R&H Hall spokesperson said the shipment came about following “the recently brokered agreement by the United Nations and Turkey to facilitate the export of grain and other agricultural goods from select ports in Black Sea Ukraine”.

As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, until an agreement was secured, no ship was permitted to depart Black Sea ports since 24 February, the day the war commenced.

“The recommencement of sailings from the Black Sea of vessels such as the Navi Star is the first step in returning some degree of certainty to the global food supply chain in what remains a volatile situation,” the spokesperson said.

R&H Hall is a grain and feed company which trades in and imports large volumes of grains and feed ingredients.

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