Russia appears to be letting some ships carrying grains exit the Azov Sea, the first signs of activity since shipping in the waterway linked to the Black Sea was suspended following the attack on Ukraine.

Around 30 vessels have been allowed to leave Russian ports and sail out of the waterway straddled by Russia and Ukraine, Interfax reported. Saban Buttanri, owner of Istanbul-based Agrolino Grains and Oilseeds, says he’s also aware of ships carrying sunflower oils, grains and feeds sailing out of the Azov Sea toward Turkey, including three of his vessels carrying sunflower oil.

“This is great news as this is the first time we can see vessels leaving Russia,” Buttanri said Wednesday in an interview. “We hope for a breakthrough and a deal.”

The Ukraine war has thrown the world’s wheat and vegetable oil supplies into chaos as vessel traffic came to a halt after Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24. The two countries supply more than a quarter of world’s wheat exports, a fifth of corn sales and a similar share of barley shipments, plus about 80% of sunflower oil cargoes.