The first grain-carrying ship to depart from Ukraine since the Russian invasion has docked in the Syrian port of Tartus after it stopped transmitting its location signal early on Friday, according to satellite photographs.
The Razoni has become one of the world’s most closely monitored vessels owing to its status as the inaugural ship to leave the port of Odesa under a UN-brokered deal. The agreement opened a humanitarian corridor allowing the passage of cargo ships carrying Ukrainian grain — stranded in the country’s ports since the start of the war — through the Black Sea to Istanbul.
Since setting sail at the start of this month, the ship’s destination has been the subject of much speculation. The 26,500 tonne cargo failed to reach its originally stated destination of Lebanon after the buyer rejected it on quality grounds.