The ship called the Brave Commander is chartered by the United Nations and will leave for Ethiopia in the coming days. According to a UN official, the Brave Commander is currently being loaded with over 23,000 tonnes of wheat as it is docked in the Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi.
On July 22 a grain corridor was agreed between the United Nations, Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey called the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
The shipment will see Ukraine, which has been dubbed ‘the world’s breadbasket’, begin to feed developing countries which have always relied on imports of grain from Ukraine.
It was estimated that 47 million people have been suffering from severe hunger as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
This is also partially due to soaring food and fuel costs as a result of the conflict.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said that Ukraine is a leading grain exporter by providing over 45 million tonnes per year to the global market.
The majority of exports from Ukraine such as wheat, corn and sunflower oil were sent via the Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea before the war with Russia.
According to the BBC, approximately 20 million tonnes of grain has been held up in the port of Odessa.
Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, praised the United Nations for its work to get the shipment moving to countries in need.
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The UN coordinator previously worked in the Central African Republic and added: “It’s up to all of us to help these children.”
Security concerns are preventing the details being announced about the shipment in terms of when it will embark on the journey and arrive.
Marianne Ward, World Food Programme deputy country director also told reporters: “The world needs the food of Ukraine.
“This is the beginning of what we hope is normal operations for the hungry people of the world.”