Istanbul, Aug 12 (IANS): The first grain ship that left Ukraine after a deal was signed between Kiev and Moscow in July, docked at a southern Turkish port following the rejection of the cargo by the buyer in Lebanon.

The Sierra Leone-flagged ship Razoni will unload some of its cargo at the port of Mersin, Turkish news agency DHA reported.

The vessel left Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa on August 2, carrying about 26,000 tonnes of corn to the port of Tripoli in Lebanon, reports Xinhua news agency.

The cargo ship was first inspected off Istanbul by a joint monitoring centre team according to the agreement before heading to Tripoli.

However, the Lebanese buyer rejected the cargo, citing the delay in delivery "for more than five months", the Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon said on Monday.

"The shipment supplier is now looking for another buyer who could be in Lebanon's Tripoli city, or in another country or port," the Embassy added.

On July 22, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal with Turkey and the UN to allow food and fertilizer exports from three key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.

The deal aims to allow safe passage for ships carrying grain to world markets amid concerns about food shortages because of the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both major global wheat suppliers.