After days of diplomatic row between Ukraine and Israel, Israeli grain importer Zenziper said it is postponing the unloading of the grain on board the ship said to be carrying stolen Ukrainian grain on behalf of Russia.
Israeli import company Zenziper has halted the unloading of a cargo vessel allegedly carrying grain stolen by Russia from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, Israeli media have reported.
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Ukraine’s foreign ministry welcomed the development, saying it shows that Kyiv’s legal and diplomatic efforts are having an effect.
“This is also a clear signal to all vessels, captains, operators, insurers and governments: do not buy stolen Ukrainian grain. Do not become part of this crime,” Andrii Sybiha said on X.
According to reports, the company said that “in light of the circumstances” it had been forced to delay unloading the cargo, and that the supplier would have to find an alternative destination for the goods.
“The Russian supplier of the wheat cargo will have to find another destination at which to unload it,” Zenziper reportedly said.
Marine traffic monitoring data show that the vessel Panormitis is moving away from the port of Haifa at around 9 knots, close to full speed. Its final destination is currently unknown.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Kyiv would “continue to track this particular vessel and warn against any operations involving it”.
The Panama-flagged Panormitis entered Haifa Bay over the weekend.
According to Ukrainian officials, the bulk carrier is carrying more than 6,200 tonnes of wheat and 19,000 tonnes of barley. It had been waiting to dock and unload in Haifa as diplomatic tensions between Ukraine and Israel escalated sharply in recent days.
Ukraine announced on Thursday that it had formally asked Israel to arrest a cargo ship carrying what Kyiv says is stolen Ukrainian grain, escalating a diplomatic row between the two countries after Israeli authorities allowed a previous vessel with similar cargo to unload unchallenged at the port of Haifa.
Israeli officials denied receiving sufficient evidence from Ukraine and accused Kyiv of engaging in “Twitter diplomacy”.
Euronews said it had contacted the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Zenziper for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.