Ukraine Ships 90 Million Tons of Grain Through Black Sea Corridor Despite War

Ukraine has delivered 90 million tons of grain to 55 countries via its maritime export corridor since the route was launched in August 2023.

The Gaze reports this, referring to a post by Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development.

According to Kuleba, a total of 150 million tons of cargo and more than 6,000 vessels have already passed through the corridor, which operates under constant threat of Russian missile and drone attacks.

“Even under enemy fire, Ukrainian ports continue to work every day,” Kuleba wrote on Facebook after chairing a meeting in Odesa on port security and critical infrastructure protection.

He said Ukraine is expanding a network of bomb shelters at port facilities to safeguard workers. 

There are currently 30 permanent shelters and 21 mobile protective structures operating in ports around Odesa, with 28 more to be built by the end of the year. "Port operators and private companies have also constructed dozens of their own shelters," he added.

Kuleba said upgrades to transport links and access roads are expected to increase cargo throughput by more than 20%, speeding up truck movement, reducing queues, and ensuring more stable export flows.

“Every modernization strengthens the economy, supports Ukrainian producers, and helps preserve Ukraine’s role as a reliable partner on global markets,” Kuleba said.

Ukraine’s maritime corridor was established in August 2023 after Russia withdrew from the UN-brokered “grain deal” and began blocking access to Black Sea routes. 

Unlike the earlier arrangement, the current corridor allows exports of non-agricultural goods alongside grain.

Kuleba praised the thousands of port workers and engineers who keep the system running.

“The Ukrainian corridor operates despite the war,” he said. “Every day, people restore damaged facilities, launch ships, and repair equipment so that the economy keeps working and the world receives Ukrainian products.”

As The Gaze reported earlier, Ukraine accused Russia of stealing approximately 15 million tonnes of grain from occupied Ukrainian territories since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022.