Third Odesa port open, accepting export tenders

The spokesperson for the Odesa Oblast Military Administration said the third port in Ukraine's Odesa region is operational and has already had applications for grain exports. A total of 12 ships have now been authorized to sail under the grain deal between Ukraine and Russia, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations - ten outbound and two headed for Ukraine.

Some 322,000 tons of agricultural products have left Ukrainian ports, the bulk of it corn but also sunflower oil and soya. Four ships that left Ukraine on Sunday are expected to anchor near Istanbul on Monday evening, the Defence Ministry said. They are due to be inspected on Tuesday.

Under the arrangement, ships leaving Ukraine are checked by officials from the three countries and the U.N. to make sure they carry only grain, fertilizer or food and not any other commodities. Inbound vessels are checked to ensure they are not carrying weapons.