The United Nations expects to see a "big uptick" in applications for ships to export Ukraine grain after transit procedures were agreed by Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye and the UN, a senior UN official said on Wednesday.

The number of inbound vessels is expected to "grow in the near future" as grain deals are made, said Frederick Kenney, interim UN Coordinator at the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, which oversees a deal between Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye and the UN to resume Ukraine grain exports.