An Israeli grain importer has declined to offload a Russian bulk carrier, the Panormitis, at the Haifa port due to concerns over potential European sanctions. The decision was reported by Israeli media outlets, including Israel Hayom and N12, citing a statement from the Israel Grain Importers Association.
The company, Tsentsiper, one of the largest grain importers in Israel, informed the supplier that, given the circumstances, it would need to seek an alternative port for unloading the cargo. The Panormitis had arrived in Haifa with a shipment believed to contain wheat and barley sourced from temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine.
Israeli importers are reportedly wary of facing European sanctions and have expressed frustration with the Israeli government for a perceived lack of support and guidance on the matter. As of 12:10 PM Kyiv time, the Panormitis had left Haifa and was navigating the Mediterranean Sea, according to the ship tracking service MarineTraffic.
Prior to this incident, the Ukrainian government had alerted Israel about potential diplomatic repercussions stemming from the arrival of the Panormitis. On April 28, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally summoned the Israeli ambassador to deliver a note of protest regarding another vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain that had docked in Haifa.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that the country is examining the allegations raised in the investigation and maintaining diplomatic communication with Ukraine. Ukraine has also lodged an official protest against the admission of the Russian vessel to Haifa.
On April 29, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office sent a package of documents to Israel requesting the arrest of the Panormitis and its cargo, which is believed to be part of a scheme to legalize the illicit export of Ukrainian grain. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has indicated that the request from Kyiv is being reviewed by the appropriate authorities.
This incident follows a previous case in which the Russian bulk carrier Abinsk was unloaded in Haifa with stolen Ukrainian grain between April 12 and 14. At that time, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had warned Israel about the possible origins of the grain aboard the vessel and emphasized the inappropriateness of such operations.
Additionally, Kyiv has sought international legal assistance from Israel to arrest this stolen shipment of Ukrainian grain. According to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russia is systematically exporting grain cultivated in temporarily occupied territories and marketing it as Russian exports. The infrastructure of occupied ports in the Azov and Black Sea regions, particularly the Sevastopol port, is being utilized for these operations. In 2025, over 2 million tons of grain were exported from these territories, with approximately 1.4 million tons shipped in the latter half of the year.
An Israeli grain importer has refused to unload the Russian bulk carrier Panormitis in Haifa due to concerns over European sanctions. This decision follows warnings from Ukraine regarding the origins of the cargo, which is believed to contain grain from occupied territories.