Backlog of Ukrainian Grain Ships Eases as Checks Speed Up
- Vessels need to be inspected in Istanbul under terms of deal
- Significant backlog of vessels still remains, according to UN
Grain ships anchored offshore in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 14.
Photographer: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
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A logjam of vessels shipping Ukrainian crops eased as inspections sped up over the weekend, but the backlog remains high with just over a month of the grain-export deal left.
Outbound ships need to be inspected in Istanbul under the deal, and at least 12 were checked each day from Friday through Sunday. That’s up from seven to nine a day earlier in the week. The number of inspection teams edged up to five on Friday, said Amir Abdulla, United Nations coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.