“Joseph Schulte” - a long breath pays off

From 24 February 2022 to 16 August 2023, the BSM managed container vessel “Joseph Schulte” had been detained in the Port of Odesa. When the attacks on Ukraine began, the Ukrainian authorities had closed all their ports to incoming and outgoing traffic for security reasons.

For almost a year and a half, BSM and the shipowner Bernhard Schulte had mobilised all possible resources and stakeholders, including national and international authorities, embassies and organisations to ensure the safety of our crew on board and to obtain a sailing permit for the “Joseph Schulte”.

Our efforts to join the United Nations Black Sea Grains Initiative were unsuccessful, but we were finally able to leave Odesa as the first ship through the new humanitarian corridor established by the Ukrainian government allowing for a safe passage through the territorial waters of Ukraine, Romania and Turkey.

The vessel's departure was possible thanks to the great work of many people supporting from Hamburg, Hong Kong and on site in Odesa. We are especially grateful to the crew and all seafarers of the “Joseph Schulte”, who were on duty during the past one and a half years acting with highest professionalism under the most difficult circumstances. We are relieved that they were able to leave the war zone unharmed because the safety of crew and ship has always been our top priority.