Turkey called on Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday (August 4) to take measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. This comes after a Turkish cargo ship was hit by a drone near the port of Novorossiysk in Russia, with three crew members possibly seriously injured, according to Turkish officials.
According to reports by Reuters, the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated in a released statement that despite “issuing all warnings,” civilian ships in the Black Sea still face the risk of being attacked. The Turkish government expressed deep concern over the incident and is continuing to follow up through diplomatic channels.
Novorossiysk port, located along the Black Sea coast of Russia, is one of Russia’s main commercial ports and serves as an important hub for oil and grain exports. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, the port has been targeted several times by drone or maritime unmanned vehicles.
The Black Sea is a crucial maritime passage and operational area in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In 2022, under the mediation of Turkey and the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine reached the “Black Sea Grain Initiative,” allowing for the safe export of Ukrainian grains through the Black Sea.
However, Russia complained about the lack of accompanying safeguards such as exemption from sanctions for its agricultural products and fertilizers exports, leading to its withdrawal from the agreement in 2023. Subsequently, the security situation in Black Sea navigation has continued to deteriorate, posing higher risks to commercial ships and port facilities.
Analysis by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in the UK indicates that the Black Sea plays a significant role in Russia’s maritime strategy. Russia, as the world’s second-largest oil exporter, relies on the ports along the Black Sea coast for 22% of its oil exports, with Novorossiysk being one of them.
To maintain revenue from energy exports, it is reported that Russia has established a fleet called the “Shadow Fleet,” consisting of old oil tankers with opaque ownership, to circumvent sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States, and the Group of Seven (G7) nations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.