HFW lawyer Richard Neylon has said he is optimistic vessels that remain trapped in Ukraine and have not been able to take part in the recent United Nations agreement on grain exports can eventually sail free.

The UN-brokered agreement allowed ships carrying grain and other food exports from three Ukraine Black Sea ports to depart the country.

But ships without grain cargoes, or that are at ports not included in the agreement, have remained stuck in the war-torn country

War risk policies allow shipowners to declare the vessel a constructive total loss if they are blocked or trapped from sailing from a war risk...