No vessels have been sent to export Russian fertilizers under the grain deal since it was signed last year, the Office of the UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative said in an update obtained by Sputnik.
"The 22 July agreement allows for the export of [Russian] fertilizer, including ammonia, but none has been shipped under the Initiative. Since 29 April, no vessel has been allowed to move to the port of Yuzhny/Pivdennyi, one of the three ports included in the Initiative," the statement read.
The Joint Coordination Centre, which is charged with implementing the grain deal, has got 29 applications on exports from vessels in Turkish waters, but none of these applications have been approved by all parties to the deal, the statement also said, adding that no new ships have been authorized to participate since June 27.
Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations reached an agreement on July 22, 2022 to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships carrying food and fertilizer exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports. On May 18, 2023, Russia extended the deal, called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, for 60 days, until July 17.
The deal is an integral part of a package agreement. The second part — the Russia-UN memorandum, designed for three years — envisions the unblocking of Russian exports of food and fertilizers, the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT, the resumption of supplies of agricultural machinery, spare parts and services, the restoration of the Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline and a number of other measures. Moscow says this part of the package agreement has not yet been implemented.