“This ship is loaded with two commodities in short supply: corn and hope”
“This ship — the Merchant Vessel Razoni — is loaded with two commodities in short supply: corn, and hope,” Guterres said to reporters in New York on Monday, August 1, 2022. “Hope for millions of people around the world who depend on the smooth running of Ukraine’s ports to feed their families.”
The M/V Razoni became the first commercial vessel to leave the crucial Black Sea port since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine.
The journey comes after an agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey and signed by representatives from Russia and Ukraine in July, which facilitates the resumption of vital grain exports. Some 20 million metric tons of wheat and corn have been trapped at the port of Odesa.
Guterres called the departure of the first grain ship “an important starting point.” He said, “It must be the first of many commercial ships bringing relief and stability to global food markets.”
