Wanna Buy Some Grain?

Recently, following the Ukraine/UK attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sebastapol, there was a brief hiatus in the tripartite deal between Ukraine, Russia and Turkey  that allowed the shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports. The shipments continued after Russia said words to the effect of "OK Ukraine. You have had your warning, don't pull a stunt like that again". The day shipments resumed, I chose 9 bulk carriers departing Ukraine and heading South in the Black Sea.

Given the constant bleating from Ukraine and the UN about how the blockade of Ukraine ports was depriving starving third world nations of much needed grain. A need made more urgent by climate changes around the world resulting in crop failures, droughts etc. If renewed grain  shipments were to bring some desperately needed relief to those countries, it could only be a good thing. However, being a bit of a cynic, I thought I would track these 9 ships "just to see". (I had followed a couple of the very first shipments in July this year and they had not ended up where they said they were going).

Under the deal, shipments go via Turkey for checks to ensure the ships are indeed carrying grain exclusively and nothing untoward. So, it was no surprise to note that of the 9 vessels selected for following, all 9 declared Istanbul to be their destination, once they were underway. Eventually ships modified their declared destinations, usually upon leaving the Bosporus Anchorage after a couple of days at anchor. On 4th November, the following ships signalled modified destinations as follows:

St Sofia            Dest            Cartagena                    Caravos Harmony     Dest        Port Said

Nikolaos  A      Dest            Liverpool                      Despina V                Dest        Rotterdam

Notice how many ports in starving 3rd world nations there? At a quick count, I would say Nil. Zero, blank, bugger all, nought. Well, fair enough. That is only 4 of the 9, meaning 5 others had not decided or declared their destinations. So, Amyntor signalled Istanbul Anchorage as destination on 5th November. And no change for the remainder. Subsequently, Eco Destiny decided on 12th November it was bound for Tripoli and is now in Misrata (Libya). St Sofia has berthed in Cartagena, Caravos Harmony on 8th November decided it was not stopping in Port Said but would transit Suez, heading for Singapore and was last seen in the Gulf of Aden, apparently heading that way. Nikolaos A has berthed in Liverpool, Mount Baker is still bimbling around Maramara Sea, still determined to go to Istanbul. Ikairia Angel, on 11th November, turned around and set off for Djibouti and today it is in the Gulf of Suez. After a few days lurking around Istanbul, African Robin decided on 10th November to go to Almeria and was last seen somewhere between Sicily and Tunis allegedly "Out of Range" of suitable AIS receivers. (Other ships in the same area are NOT Out of Range though, so...hmmm). Following a couple of excursions around the Marmara Sea and the Aegean Sea, Amyntor came back to Turkey and is berthed in Iskanderun

As a table, they all look like this:

St Sofia                 Dest            Cartagena                    Caravos Harmony    Dest       Singapore

Nikolaos   A          Dest            Liverpool                     Despina V                Dest        Rotterdam

Amyntor                Dest            Iskanderun                   Eco Destiny             Dest       Misrata

Mount Baker         Dest            Istanbul                        Ikairia Angel            Dest        Djibouti

African Robin        Dest            Algiers

So there we have it. Of 9 ships carrying "desperately needed" grain supplies to the starving millions, I can see only 1 that would qualify, Ikairia Angel. Having said that, the destination declared by the ship may be Djibouti but it is still in the Gulf of Suez. I would suggest I wait and see!