Black Sea attacks push commercial ships into Marmara anchorages

ISTANBUL

(İHA Photo)

Hundreds of commercial vessels are crowding anchorages in the Marmara Sea as shipowners increasingly avoid the Black Sea amid a surge in attacks on civilian ships linked to the Russia-Ukraine war.

More than 200 commercial vessels bound for the Black Sea have been struck by unmanned aerial vehicles or missiles over the past four months, including Turkish-flagged ships.

The attacks have turned the Marmara Sea into a vast parking area, with hundreds of vessels dropping anchor rather than proceeding into the Black Sea.

Speaking to Turkish media, business representatives called for navigational safety to be restored in the Black Sea.

Yusuf Yalçın Çapoğlu, vice president of the Turkish Shipowners’ and Operators’ Association (KOSDER), said attacks brought commercial activity in the Black Sea to the brink of collapse.

“The number of vessels entering and leaving through the straits has fallen below 30. Under normal circumstances, that figure was above 200,” Çapoğlu said.

“Ukraine is doing everything it can to prevent vessels engaged in trade with Russia from going there. Russia is retaliating. Ships are being hit by missiles and drones. Recently, a vessel bound for Georgia was struck on its way there. The shipowner changed his mind and turned back. It was hit again on the way back,” he added.

Even when the vessels are not operating, shipowners continue to incur substantial costs for every day they remain at anchor.

“Whether you operate the vessel or not, you have to pay these expenses. They start at around $2,500 a day and can rise to $5,000, $6,000 or even $7,000,” Çapoğlu said.

He also warned that if there was no end in sight to the situation, shipowners could take the drastic step of unloading their vessels rather than continuing to operate under such conditions.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sept. 15 said that to the growing number of attacks targeting civilian vessels in the Black Sea is unacceptable in remarks made in Azerbaijan.

Fidan said Türkiye had issued the necessary warnings to the parties, adding that he believed common ground could be found if the required political will was demonstrated and the two sides acted in good faith.