The UK is donating an additional £120m (around $155m) toward the Maritime Capability Coalition and is seeking partners to co-fund delivery of hundreds more maritime drones (aerial and uncrewed boats), as well as surveillance radars to protect the Black Sea Grain Corridor, according to the UK government.

The UK and Norway are also seeking a further £100m to co-fund hundreds more.

“The UK has been at the forefront of work to protect the maritime corridor in the Black Sea,” the statement says.

The Maritime Capability Coalition – led by the UK and Norway – is focused on delivering a future naval fighting force for Ukraine and has been instrumental in helping to equip Ukraine’s navy with items such as uncrewed surface vessels, better known as maritime drones, which will protect the corridor.

According to the UK government, Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure in the Black Sea, delaying vital aid from reaching Palestinians, and stopping crucial grain supplies from being delivered to the global south.

“Those strikes are believed to have delayed the MV SHUI SPIRIT from departing Ukraine while carrying vegetable oil destined for the World Food Programme in Palestine,” reads the statement.

It has also hit ships loaded with grain destined for Egypt, UK government said, two vessels carrying corn – which Ukraine is the second biggest supplier to China of – and World Food Programme shipments bound for southern Africa.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted: “Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on ports in the Black Sea underscore that Putin is willing to gamble on global food security in his attempts to force Ukraine into submission.”

According to Defence Intelligence, at least four merchant vessels have been struck by Russian munitions, between October 5 and 14.

The announcement comes as the government announces a further £2.26bn for Ukraine as part of the UK’s contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme. 

Through the scheme, $50bn from G7 countries will be delivered to Ukraine for its military, budget and reconstruction needs.