The complex challenges of delivering grain from war-torn Ukraine

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• Lisa Desjardins:

  In Ukraine today, four merchant ships Black Sea ports. Their cargo is simple corn and other food products but the journey complex. Part of a wartime deal with Russia which is temporarily lifting its blockade to allow critical deliveries of food to the world.

  Ships depart from three ports in Ukraine, through treacherous Black Sea waters and onto destinations around the globe, including volatile markets hit by inflation. As those ships leave the Black Sea, another packed with grain was set to complete the journey to Lebanon today, but it is experiencing delays. Ali Rogin reports on the complicated choreography and delicate diplomacy of these voyages.

• Ali Rogin:

  Bound for Lebanon, the ship Razoni carried a small fraction of Ukraine's stockpile of grains but the statement she made was giant. Trade from Ukraine's Black Sea ports has, however, slowly resumed.

  Two weeks ago, Ukraine and Russia struck the deal. Russia would lift its blockade of three ports and allow shipments of grain and other products. Ukraine is one of the world's largest providers of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. But since Russia's invasion, 20 million metric tons of grain and oil seeds have been stuck driving up global food prices. Ships in the ports set idle, international crews were evacuated.

  John Stawpert, International Chamber of Shipping: There were 2,000 seafarers on ships in Ukrainian waters at the start of the conflict. We now estimate those just over 400, so some of these ships had no cruise at all.

• Ali Rogin:

  John Stawpert is a manager at the International Chamber of Shipping, which advocates for the maritime industry.

  Russia is a party to this deal. They're also the country that invaded Ukraine. How unusual is an arrangement like this?

• John Stawpert:

  Certainly, in my experience, I've never seen an agreement like this. These are two parties that are in conflict.

• Ali Rogin:

  And for a wartime trade deal, there is war time protocol. Military personnel board and inspect the ship, then radio and all clear. A tugboat attaches to the ship to guide her through the Black Sea filled with Russian mines. Before her final stop in Lebanon, there's one more inspection in Istanbul. Turkey helped broker the deal with the United Nations and is overseeing the shipments.

• Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:

  The merchant vessel Razoni is loaded with two commodities in short supply, corn and hope.

• Ali Rogin:

  But hope is no substitute for logistics. The International Chamber of Shipping estimates it would take 400 ship foals to export Ukraine stockpile and that's not counting this year's harvest, which has been made more uncertain by war.

• Yurii Vakulenkv, Farmer (through translator):

  There is no good price for our grains. The front line is not far from here at any time it can be finished in one moment by bombing.

• Ali Rogin:

  Ukrainian officials say that before the deal there were about two dozen ships in total ready to depart the ports. The average vessel can transport 20 to 50,000 tons of cargo and more ships are coming in. On Sunday, the commercial ship Fulmar S arrived at the Chornomorsk port, the first incoming vessel since February 24. But this deal only lasts about four months.

  Do you think this mission can be accomplished in 120 days?

• Vitaliy Panchenko, International Maritime Association:

  Definitely not enough time for delivery all grain big, big — huge work to be done before the vessel will leave the port with this cargo.

• Ali Rogin:

  Vitaliy Panchenko is co-chair of Ukraine's International Maritime Association. He says the government should allow Ukrainian seafarers to man the vessels. Right now martial law prohibits men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country.

• Vitaliy Panchenko:

  Now all those vessels operated by Bulgarians, Romanians, they're good guys. They're quite experienced nothing to say. But it was our port, it was our place where we can work Ukrainian seamen could do this. Everybody sending messages to President, maybe president not a seaman. That's why he not understood properly what we are — what we are able to do.

• Ali Rogin:

  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy hasn't said whether he would allow Ukrainian seafarers to join the voyages but he has expressed optimism about the deal itself.

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through translator):

  If the partners of the grain initiative will keep their end of the bargain concerning the security part of it, then the food crisis which looks so threatening could be overcome. The more our grain will reach world markets, the lesser will be the crop of political chaos, first of all, in African and Asian countries.

• Ali Rogin:

  In the Horn of Africa, that crop of chaos grows, but not much else. Thanks to consecutive dry seasons. The UN run World Food Programme is planning a shipment of food aid from Ukraine. But so far, the cargo leaving Ukraine is headed for commercial markets. Sean Granville-Ross directs the Africa program for Mercy Corps, an aid organization.

• Sean Granville-Ross, Mercy Corps:

  As acute hunger worsens, the deal is an all — this deal is not immediately going to put people out of the situation they're in and food and on the table for them.

• Ali Rogin:

  The goals are ambitious, stabilize food markets and alleviate global hunger, but with steep demand and challenging logistics, and unforgiving clock has already started to tick. For PBS News Weekend, I'm Ali Rogin.