THE Liberian flagged 32,588-dwt bulk carrier Primus, carrying steel products to Africa, has left the Port of Odessa through a temporary Black Sea corridor, Reuters reports.

This in the second ship to do so since Russia withdrew last month from a UN-brokered cartel that allowed for grain to be safely exported, said a senior Ukrainian government official.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the Primus had begun sailing through a temporary corridor set up for civilian vessels.

"The second vessel blocked due to the war has left the Port of Odessa and is now sailing through a temporary corridor," Mr Kubrakov posted on the social media platform X, formerly called Twitter.

He said the ship had been at the port since February 20, 2022, just before Russia's invasion, and was carrying steel products to Africa.

Odessa's three seaports shipped tens of millions of tons of grain under a year-long cartel. Russia threatened to treat all vessels as potential military targets after pulling out of the deal last month.

In response, Ukraine announced a "humanitarian corridor" hugging the western Black Sea coast near Romania and Bulgaria.

A Hong Kong-flagged containership stuck in Odessa port since the invasion travelled the route earlier this year.