Egypt ordered the seizure on Sunday of 56,000 tons of Russian wheat aboard the vessel Seabird for quality checks and suspended all grain contracts with Egyptian Traders, the firm that contracted the shipment from Russia.
RIAS is the company that sold and shipped the wheat on Seabird to Egyptian Traders.
"The shipment needs to go to Indonesia, the quality is perfect and our Indonesian buyers want this wheat," said Chris Vanhonacker, commercial director of RIAS.
Wheat shipments from Russia have been under intense scrutiny in the most populous Arab country since mid-May, when the prosecutor ordered a probe following the detection of dead bugs and impurities in Russian wheat imported by Egyptian Traders.
Over 100,000 tons of Russian wheat imported by various suppliers both from Egypt and abroad have since been held in ports in Egypt, local sources said.
The announcement of the Seabird seizure followed a decision on Sunday by Egypt's state prosecutor ordering Egyptian Traders Co. to re-export a 52,000-ton shipment held at the Red Sea port of Safaga.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
