International officials have completed checks of the first vessel to carry grains out of Ukraine under an UN-backed safe-passage scheme.

Inspection activity at the 29,300-dwt Razoni (built 1996) started at 10.00 local time (0700 GMT) in Istanbul and finished a little more than two hours later.

“The Joint Inspection Team has completed its inspection activity on board the Razoni,” the Turkish defence ministry,” which coordinates the effort, said in a tweet.