0295/23

SÉCURITÉ

Humanitarian maritime corridor and route for Black Sea grain shipments established

No longer in forceReceived 18 Mar 2023, 19:10 UTCArchived 10 Jul 2026, 21:47 UTC

Warning text

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BLACK SEA BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE JOINT COORDINATION CENTER (JCC) - ISTANBUL 182359Z MAR 23 UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DATUM WGS84. THE BLACK SEA GRAIN INITIATIVE JCC HAS ESTABLISHED A ROUTE FOR VESSELS INBOUND AND OUTBOUND OF UKRAINAN PORTS. THE ROUTE IS 320NM LONG AND CONNECTS THE LISTED UKRAINIAN PORTS WITH INSPECTION AREAS INSIDE TURKISH TERRITORIAL SEAS. THE MARITIME HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR (MHC) FORMS PART OF THIS ROUTE AND EXTENDS FROM THE BOUNDARY OF UKRAINIAN TERRITORIAL SEAS TO THE SOUTHERN WAYPOINT OF THE HIGH SEAS TRANSIT CORRIDOR (HSTC). WHILST TRANSITING THE MHC NO MILITARY SHIP, AIRCRAFT OR UAV MAY CLOSE WITHIN A RADIUS 10NM OF ANY VESSEL ENGAGED IN THE INITIATIVE AND TRANSITING THE CORRIDOR. VESSELS ENCOUNTERING PROVOCATIONS OR THREATS WHILE TRANSITING THE MHC SHOULD REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THE JCC. NO VESSEL SHALL TRANSIT THE MHC WITHOUT THE AUTHORISATION OF THE JCC. PILOTS WILL EMBARK FOR PASSAGE BETWEEN BERTH AND HOLDING AREA. CHORNOMORSK TO HOLDING AREA. CHANNEL WIDTH UP TO 200M: 46 24.000 N - 030 54.000 E 46 20.500 N - 030 43.200 E 46 20.000 N - 030 42.700 E 46 18.842 N - 030 41.807 E 46 19.123 N - 030 40.596 E ODESA TO HOLDING AREA. CHANNEL WIDTH UP TO 200M: 46 30.000 N - 030 54.000 E 46 30.000 N - 030 46.400 E 46 29.902 N - 030 46.043 E 46 29.986 N - 030 44.542 E PIVDENNYI TO HOLDING AREA. CHANNEL WIDTH UP TO 200M: 46 30.500 N - 030 57.000 E 46 32.600 N - 030 57.000 E 46 33.342 N - 031 00.044 E 46 36.187 N - 031 01.000 E HOLDING AREA: 46 30.500 N - 030 54.000 E 46 30.500 N - 030 58.200 E 46 24.000 N - 030 58.200 E 46 24.000 N - 030 54.000 E VESSEL MUST TRANSIT BETWEEN THE HOLDING AREA AND MHC THROUGH THE AREA BOUNDED BY: 46 24.000 N - 030 54.000 E 46 19.000 N - 031 05.000 E 46 12.000 N - 031 07.500 E 46 12.000 N - 031 12.500 E 46 27.000 N - 031 10.500 E 46 28.200 N - 030 58.200 E THE HSTC IS 83NM LONG AND 3NM WIDE. WHEN TRANSITING THE HSTC VESSELS ARE CONSIDERED RESTRICTED IN THEIR ABILITY TO MANOEUVRE AND SHOULD DISPLAY THE APPROPRIATE LIGHTS/SHAPES. VESSELS MUST TRANSIT BETWEEN 0500 – 2100 LOCAL. HSTC (CENTRELINE): 44 53.000 N - 030 39.500 E 008/188 45NM 45 37.100 N - 030 48.100 E 025/205 38NM 46 12.000 N - 031 10.000 E A SOUTHERN WAITING AREA (SWA) IS DESIGNATED AS A TEMPORARY HOLDING AREA FOR VESSELS ENGAGED IN THE INITIATIVE. INBOUND VESSELS MAY USE THE SWA TO AWAIT TRANSIT DURING AUTHORISED HOURS, INFORMING THE JCC THROUGH ISTANBUL TRAFFIC: SWA: 44 50.000 N - 030 10.000 E 44 50.000 N - 030 25.000 E 44 55.000 N - 030 25.000 E 45 00.000 N - 030 10.000 E VESSELS ON PASSAGE BETWEEN THE MHC AND THE TURKISH INSPECTION AREAS SHALL PASS THROUGH POSITION 42 19.15N 029 27.00E. ISTANBUL VTS WILL INFORM AND DIRECT VESSELS TO THE APPROPRIATE INSPECTION AREA TURKISH INSPECTION AREA N (BLACK SEA): 41 14.900 N - 028 59.580 E 41 17.260 N - 028 59.580 E 41 17.260 N - 029 02.200 E 41 15.500 N - 029 04.600 E 41 15.200 N - 029 04.600 E TURKISH INSPECTION AREAS S (SEA OF MARMARA): 41 00.360 N - 028 59.130 E 40 59.330 N - 028 58.570 E 40 58.090 N - 028 56.470 E 40 59.840 N - 028 56.470 E 40 58.480 N - 028 53.280 E 40 59.500 N - 028 56.280 E 40 58.060 N - 028 56.280 E 40 56.460 N - 028 53.280 E OTHER THAN IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PORT CALLS AND PROLONGED STOPS ARE NOT PERMITTED DURING THE TRANSIT. SHIP TO SHIP TRANSFERS ARE NOT AUTHORISED. VESSELS PARTICIPATING IN THE INITIATIVE MUST TRANSMIT ON AIS AT ALL TIMES. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES FOR VESSELS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INITIATIVE ARE CONTAINED IN IMO CIRCULAR LETTER 4611 (SERIES).

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Analysis

No longer in force

A Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) route for ships entering and leaving Ukrainian ports under the Black Sea Grain Initiative has been established, including a Humanitarian Maritime Corridor (HMC), waiting and inspection areas. The route is in effect from 18 Mar 2023 2359Z until further notice. Transit rules include mandatory JCC approval, pilots embarked between manoeuvring and waiting areas, AIS always on, and vessels must transit 0500-2100 local time.

Do not transit the HMC without JCC approval; keep AIS active at all times; embark pilots as required; transit only 0500-2100 local time; report harassment or threats promptly to the Joint Coordination Centre via Istanbul Traffic; no port visits or long waits except emergencies; no ship-to-ship transfers.

Type: Restricted area · severity moderate
Feed: Security and restricted areasAll warnings of this kind on the map, or as an API feed.
Location: Black Sea - route connecting Ukrainian ports, waiting and Turkish inspection areas
Validity: From 18 Mar 2023, 23:59 UTC
FROM 182359Z MAR 23 UNTIL A FURTHER NOTICE
Activity periods: ? - ? (Daily 0500-2100 local time (vessels must transit during these hours))
Hazards: restricted transit corridor, inspection and waiting areas, limited manoeuvrability of participating vessels, close-approach exclusion (no warship/aircraft/UAV within 10 miles)
Keep clear: 10 NMNO WARSHIP, AIRCRAFT, OR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE SHALL COME CLOSER THAN 10 MILES TO ANY VESSEL ... PASSING THROUGH THE CORRIDOR.
References: IMO CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 4611 (SERIES)

Coast stations for this area

RCCMRCC OdessaUkraine6 NM from the area
RCCMRCC Constanta/Constanta Harbor MasterRomania126 NM from the area
RCCMRCC VarnaBulgaria231 NM from the area
DSCDSC Station OdessaMRCC OdessaUkraineMMSI 002723660VHF 23, MF 200range 200 NM6 NM from the area
DSCDSC Station VTS OdessaMRCC OdessaUkraineMMSI 002723671VHF 24range 24 NM8 NM from the area
DSCDSC Station VTS OchakivMRCC OdessaUkraineMMSI 002723665VHF 20range 20 NM30 NM from the area
DSCDSC Station VTS Rus'ka BeakMRCC OdessaUkraineMMSI 002723666VHF 21range 21 NM48 NM from the area
DSCDSC Station Constanta, Sfintu GheorgheMRCC Constanta/Constanta Harbor MasterRomaniaMMSI 002640570VHF 24range 24 NM106 NM from the area

Worked out automatically from the warning text on 31 Oct 2026, 06:19 UTC. It can be wrong: the official warning text is the authority.

Keywordshigh seas

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