In the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta on Thursday, the ship Unity N completed the loading of 71,000 tons of Ukrainian corn - the first time since the war began.
This was reported by Reuters.
Because Ukraine's seaports have been blocked since the war began, Ukraine has been forced to send cargo by train across its western border or through its small river ports on the Danube to Romania.
"This is the first Panamax-class vessel with Ukrainian corn to leave the port," Viorel Panait, head of port operator Comvex, told the agency.
"To support the export of Ukrainian grain is to prevent a colossal wave of world hunger triggered by the blockage of Ukrainian ports," Panait added.
According to him, earlier this week the operator completed loading about 35,000 tons of Ukrainian iron ore, and a second ship is expected to be loaded around May 15.
At the moment about 80 thousand tons of Ukrainian grain has been shipped to Constanta. Another 80,000 tons have been approved and are en route, the Constanta port manager said Tuesday.
However, more work is needed on the port's connecting infrastructure, Panait said.
"The infrastructure around the port is a problem for all economic activity in Romania ... slow access leads to additional costs in these sectors," he said.
Panait welcomed the Romanian government's plans to rehabilitate several rail lines connecting the ports to Ukrainian borders.
Earlier, Ukraine agreed with Romania on the possibility of sending its agricultural products through the Romanian sea port of Constanta.
