The United Nations (UN) expects a sharp increase in ship traffic for grain exports from Ukrainian ports soon, after procedures agreed by Moscow and Kiev to allow traffic in the Black Sea are established.

The information was advanced by Frederick Kenney, acting United Nations coordinator at the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, which oversees this agreement.

According to Notícias ao Minuto which cites Reuters, the United Nations representative expects the number of ships arriving in Ukraine's seas to increase in the near future as agreements are made for grain exports.

"We expect to see a large increase in transit orders. The anticipated" export target of between two and five million tons per month is achievable," said Frederick Kenney.

The UN coordinator also said that the current priority of these operations is to leave space in the three ports covered by the agreement, Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny, so that new ships can enter and be loaded.

"It's imperative that we remove those ships now, so that we can bring in vessels to load cargoes that will be destined for ports that will help reduce global food insecurity. But really, any ship that leaves with Ukrainian grain is going to help with this situation," Kenney said.

So far, according to the source quoted by Notícias ao Minuto, there have been no shipments of corn, soybeans, and sunflower oil and flour from Ukraine.

Frederick also said that the export agreement in question is a commercial operation that will be market-driven, and noted that all ships are required to undergo inspection in order to allay Russian concerns about possible arms smuggling into Ukraine.

So far, 12 ships that had been stranded in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion have been allowed to leave, while four others have been allowed to travel to the country's ports.

At issue is the outcome of an understanding that was signed last month between Russia and Ukraine to reopen Black Sea ports and resume grain exports in order to avert a global food crisis of increasing proportions.