Getting Grain Out of Ukraine Is Literally a Minefield
Charts, helicopters and machine guns can help a ship avoid destruction, but in the end a captain has to trust his eyes.
The Razoni, safe so far.
Photographer: Ali Atmaca/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
What’s it like to sail a huge cargo ship loaded with thousands of tons of grain out of port from a war-torn nation into mine-infested waters?
That question became relevant with the launch this week of an innovative scheme to allow grain shipments to be exported from Ukrainian ports. Already, the prospects of food scarcity and political unrest, particularly in hungry nations in North Africa and the Middle East, have eased somewhat. But the maritime procedures are far from settled, and for the first few ships sailing outbound, the challenges are daunting.