THE Port of Chornomorsk near Odessa on Black Sea has detained a Russian bulk carrier, the 73,281-dwt Emmakris III loading grain, supposedly under an agreement signed by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on July 22, reports CNN.

CNN obtained a decision by a court in Kiev on July 20 that gave authorities permission to hold the ship. The office of the Ukrainian prosecutor general had asked the court to "prohibit representatives of the registered owner, actual owner, operator, charterer and any other persons from taking measures to dispose of, use, alienate the specified property, including by prohibiting them from leaving the Port of Chornomorsk."

A Ukrainian official confirmed to CNN that "the ship is under arrest and not allowed to leave the port." The official would not be identified as they were not authorised to speak on the record.

Russia has said Ukrainian mining of coastal waters is to blame for the halt to shipping.