There was much uncertainty about the state of the grain deal on Tuesday morning. For a while it seemed that the negotiating parties had reached an agreement, but that was not the case. According to recent information from Baas, the negotiations in Geneva are still in full swing.
The most controversial point for the renewal of the agreement, which should allow both Ukraine and Russia to ship grain and fertilizers across the Bosphorus, appears to be its duration. The previous agreement was valid for a period of 120 days, and if it is Ukraine’s turn it will be valid again. But Russia only wants to make an appointment for sixty days. “Presumably to keep up the pressure and be able to export more ourselves,” said Baas, the chairman of the grain traders.
But with such a short deal, the industry is absolutely nothing, refutes Baas. ‘Waiting times in Istanbul, where cargoes are checked, are reaching almost 45 days. There are now 125 arriving and departing ships standing by.’ In practice, according to the president, this means that ships leaving within a week do not know if there is still an agreement when they have to pass the checkpoint. “That leads to a lot of uncertainty and possible financial loss.”
Ukrainian requests seem reasonable to him. Kiev wants wait times to decrease and control teams to get bigger. Russian teams in particular are very small, so it takes four to five hours to check a ship.
Stop checking ships leaving
Ukraine also calls to stop checking departing ships to save time. “Arriving ships must be checked for weapons and materials that Ukraine can use in the war,” Baas also understands, “but that departing ships must also be checked is actually madness.”
“That even departing ships should be checked is actually madness”
Earlier, BNR Europe reporter Geert Jan Hahn said he expects an agreement will eventually be reached. Russia also benefits greatly. It itself carries grain and fertilizers across the Bosphorus. But even more: the whole world looks at Moscow and holds it accountable if the deal falls through. And this is obviously not in the interest of the world’s food supply.”
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