Three more grain ships  depart Ukraine as one is bound for Ireland

The ship is set to bring 33,000 tonnes of corn to Ireland

The ship Navi-Star carrying a load of corn sails from the port in Odesa (AP)

Three more ships carrying grain have departed Ukrainian ports and are heading to Turkey for inspection, defence officials said.

One of the ships, the Navistar, is headed for Ireland to deliver 33,000 tonnes of corn. The other two are headed to Karasu in Turkey and Teesport in Britain. 

The three ships are loaded with a total of 58,000 tonnes of corn.

Grain and feed company R&H Hall said it will receive its 33,000 tonnes of cargo in Foynes and Dublin ports on the ship's arrival.

The company said: "The recommencement of sailings from the Black Sea of vessels such as the Navi Star is the first step in returning some degree of certainty to the global food supply chain in what remains a volatile situation. 

"We look forward to the Navi Star arriving at port in approximately two weeks."

The first ship that was allowed to leave port in Ukraine since war broke out set sail on Monday, and was bound for Lebanon under a safe passage agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. 

It crossed the Black Sea under a wartime deal and passed inspection on Wednesday in Istanbul before heading on to Lebanon.

Ukraine is one of the world’s main breadbaskets and the stocks of grain trapped were exacerbating a sharp rise of food prices and raising fears of a global hunger crisis.

As part of the July 22 agreement on shipments, which include Russian grain and fertiliser, safe corridors through the mined waters outside Ukraine’s ports have been established.

The situation in the Black Sea remains tense, however, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged international partners to keep a close eye on Moscow’s compliance with the deal.