Turkey restricts shipping in the Black Sea after a series of attacks on commercial vessels

Turkey has begun imposing restrictions on the movement of commercial vessels in certain areas of the Black Sea amid a sharp rise in attacks linked to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ankara's decision came in response to a situation in which civilian shipping is increasingly finding itself in a combat zone, while risks to crews and cargo vessels have risen significantly.

Attacks on vessels linked to Turkey have caused particular concern among the Turkish authorities. On 3 August, drones attacked two Turkish civilian vessels — Yaşar and Nadezhda, which were sailing after departing the Russian port of Novorossiysk. As a result, several crew members, including Turkish citizens, were injured. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said that the safety of its citizens remains Ankara's top priority.

A few days later, the situation took a new turn: a Turkish cargo ship carrying 22 people was attacked near Novorossiysk. The vessel caught fire, and three crew members suffered serious injuries. Everyone on board was evacuated.

Ankara had already called on Moscow and Kyiv to take measures to ensure the safety of navigation. The Turkish government stresses that commercial vessels must not become targets of military operations, regardless of which side the threat comes from.

The Black Sea is becoming one of the world's most dangerous trade routes

The scale of the problem extends far beyond several isolated incidents. According to Reuters, in July alone Ukraine reported 35 attacks on vessels in ports and 22 attacks on vessels at sea, as well as 67 strikes on port infrastructure. By comparison, 14 attacks on vessels were recorded throughout 2025.

As a result, carriers are beginning to reconsider their routes, while delivery costs are rising. The average daily operating cost of oil tankers in the Black Sea exceeded $300,000 within a short period, compared with just over $200,000 a week earlier. At the same time, the cost of war-risk insurance for calls at Black Sea ports reached approximately 2% of a vessel's value in some cases.

This is particularly sensitive for the global economy, as huge volumes of grain, oil and petroleum products pass through the Black Sea. Russia and Ukraine remain major participants in the global agricultural market, while Ukraine's export routes through the Odesa area account for more than 90% of the country's agricultural shipments.

In effect, the Black Sea is gradually becoming another global «hotspot» for shipping — alongside the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is particularly sensitive for Turkey, which controls the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits: further escalation could affect not only regional security but also international supplies of food and energy.