First ship 'Razoni' carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa

The Razoni was expected to dock Tuesday afternoon in Istanbul at the entrance of the Bosporus, where joint teams of Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN officials were set to board it for inspections.

The Razoni cargo ship, under the flag of Sierra Leone, with 26,000 tons of the Ukrainian corn aboard, leaves the port in Odesa region, Ukraine. (Photo | AP)

KYIV: The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain set out Monday from the port of Odesa under an internationally brokered deal to unblock the embattled country's agricultural exports and ease a growing global food crisis.

The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni sounded its horn as it slowly departed with over 26,000 tons of corn destined for Lebanon.

“The first grain ship since Russian aggression has left port,” Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Twitter.