(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine said five ships are heading to its Black Sea ports for loading, while three others recently have left with cargoes, as Kyiv seeks to overcome a Russian blockade of its commodity exports.

The five vessels — Olga, Ida, Danny Boy, Forza Doria and New Legacy — will be loaded with 120,000 tons of grain for Africa and Europe at the so-called ports of big Odesa, which include Chornomosk and Pivdennyi, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Facebook. The ships are in the temporary corridor set up by the Ukrainian Navy, heading toward the ports, according to ship tracking data.

Ukraine is trying to forge a new safe corridor for its exports, despite Russian threats to attack vessels after Moscow exited a United Nations and Turkey-brokered grain deal in the summer. Alternative trade routes via ports on the Danube river have been attacked by Kremlin drones. 

Outbound shipments of grain plunged to 1.75 million tons in September, from 3 million tons in August.

The bulk carriers Azara, Ying Hao 01 and Eneida are heading southwest, after leaving Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi with over 127,000 tons of agricultural products and iron ore, the minister said. The first ship to sail the new corridor left Odesa in August. 

--With assistance from Áine Quinn.

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