The corridor has survived along its western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria, its small ports on the Danube River, and exports over land via eastern Europe, since Kyiv managed to dislodge Russian forces from the western part of the Black Sea.
Ukraine marked a historic milestone in December by shipping a record quantity of agricultural products via its sea corridor. Spike Brokers, a reputable entity tracking and disseminating export statistics, announced on the Telegram messaging app that Ukraine exported an impressive 1.3 million tons of food through its small ports along the Danube River during the month.
Since the establishment of the Black Sea corridor in August, Ukraine has successfully exported a total of 15 million metric tons of cargo, with 10 million tons comprising agricultural goods, according to statements from a senior government official this week.
The Ukrainian Navy played a crucial role in ensuring the seamless functioning of this vital sea route, especially following Moscow's withdrawal from a U.N.-brokered deal in July, accompanied by threats to consider all vessels as potential military targets.
The creation of the corridor proved to be a strategic move for Ukraine, allowing the nation to navigate diplomatic challenges and maintain a steady flow of maritime exports.
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov revealed that the maximum monthly volume shipped through the U.N.-brokered corridor reached 4.2 million tons in October 2022. This underscored the corridor's effectiveness in facilitating the movement of goods and mitigating potential disruptions.
As a major global grain grower and exporter, Ukraine has positioned itself for continued success, anticipating an exportable surplus of 50 million tons in the 2023/24 July-June season. The country's commitment to its agricultural sector is evident in the export figures, with 19.9 million tons of grain already shipped as of January 10, surpassing volumes from the same period last year.
