Attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have halted traffic to Ukrainian ports, while a separate drone strike damaged a Turkish cargo ship.

Russia’s recent attacks on civilian cargo ships have effectively paralyzed Ukraine’s Black Sea export corridor. On Wednesday, no vessels entered any of the three Ukrainian ports in the Odesa region, marking the first time the corridor has seen zero traffic since its 2023 establishment. Ukrainian officials have characterized these actions as deliberate economic and humanitarian terror, warning that the disruption threatens global food security during the peak harvest season.

Impact on Ukrainian Maritime Exports

The heightened security threat has led major shipping companies to suspend operations in the Odesa region. Maersk has halted activities at the Chornomorsk Fishing Port, opting to redirect cargo to the Port of Constanta in Romania. While the Ukrainian government maintains that it can provide security, vessel owners have paused operations to assess the evolving situation. Andrii Klymenko, head of the Black Sea and Baltic Strategic Research Monitoring Group, noted that while attacks on docked ships were previously common, the current environment has forced owners to halt traffic entirely. In response to the escalation, Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council for July 27, calling on the international community to demand that Moscow cease attacks on maritime navigation.

Drone Attack on Turkish Vessel

Separately, a Turkish dry cargo ship, the MV Reyhan Sari, was struck by a drone in international waters off the coast of Turkey’s Samsun province on July 22. The vessel, which was transporting coal from the Russian port of Taman to Trabzon, sustained damage to its communication systems during the incident. The ship’s owner, T and O Maritime, confirmed that the vessel managed to reach the port of Samsun despite the damage. Reports indicate that one crew member died in the attack, while three others were injured and required medical evacuation by helicopter.