Ukraine has managed to make the first outside sea shipments of products from its steelmakers and miners following Russia’s blockade of its ports. According to media sources and suppliers’ official statements, the ships Primus, Anna Tereza and Ocean Courtesy, which had been blocked at Ukrainian ports since February 24, 2022, have left the ports of Odesa and Pivdennyi.
The cargoes include 76,000 mt of rolled steel material originating from Ukraine’s Azovstal, Zaporizhstal, Kamet Steel and AM Kryvyi Rih, in addition to 172,000 mt of iron ore concentrate from Metinvest assets. The products are on the way to customers due to the successful efforts of the businesses in question and Ukrainian government officials to free the ships after a year and a half of captivity.
“The breaking of the maritime blockade by ships carrying Ukrainian steel is a historic moment and the first step towards the full unblocking of maritime exports for the entire range of Ukrainian products. … The full unblocking of ports for all types of cargoes will not only allow Ukraine to regain the status of a maritime country, but will also bring additional tens of billions of earnings of dollars of foreign currency annually to the Ukrainian economy, hundreds of billions of hryvnias in additional tax revenues to the state budget, and jobs and stable incomes for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians,” a Metinvest official said in a company statement.