The security situation in the Black Sea maritime transportation continues to deteriorate. As of Thursday, October 15th, consecutive incidents of ship fires and attacks have occurred near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. With the escalation of drone attacks related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict expanding to the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of NATO allies, the Black Sea has become one of the most dangerous maritime areas globally, threatening global food supply and maritime safety.
Romanian maritime authorities and the Ministry of Defense confirmed that in the early hours of Thursday, the chemical tanker “Wine Trader” flying the flag of San Marino caught fire in the southeast direction 13 nautical miles from Sulina Canal on the Danube River.
The ship was en route from Tunisia to Romania with a total of 12 crew members, of which 5 were rescued, while 7 crew members remain missing. The Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs dispatched two Black Hawk helicopters and search and rescue vessels to the scene, but the huge waves at the site severely hindered the progress of the rescue operation.
Prior to this incident, the chemical and oil tanker “Yara J,” flying the flag of Comoros, also caught fire in Romanian territorial waters on Wednesday night, with all crew members safely evacuated.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense indicated that the night before the incidents, a group of aerial targets was monitored approaching Snake Island in Ukraine, with a drone briefly entering Romanian airspace before disappearing.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan, attending a summit in Brussels on Thursday, stated that both ships were indeed hit by drones, and the Romanian government will take national-level response actions.
According to Reuters, in a statement on Thursday, NATO also mentioned that two other ships were attacked at night in the Black Sea: the bulk carrier “Sea Destiny” flying the Marshall Islands flag in Romanian waters and the oil tanker “Dania J” flying the Tanzanian flag anchored at Izmail Port on the Danube River. The statement did not provide information on casualties.
Romania shares a 614 km (381 mile) border with Ukraine, much of which extends along the Danube River. Over the past four years, Romania has reported multiple incidents of Russian drones violating its airspace.
This situation is not isolated. Combining reports from the Associated Press and official information from Bulgaria, in the past 10 days, at least five merchant ships have been attacked by drones or underwater unmanned vessels near the coasts of Romania and neighboring Bulgaria:
October 13th (Tuesday):
The cargo ship “HS Dignity” flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau was attacked near the Bulgarian coast, with 11 crew members still missing. On the same day, the Ukrainian-operated and Malta-flagged “Chelsea 3” freighter was hit by three drones on its deck and hull, with 15 crew members rescued.
October 6th (last Tuesday):
A ship flying the flag of Togo was attacked and sunk in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, while another ship flying the flag of Palau, which was damaged, successfully evacuated 18 crew members. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev publicly stated that Russia is likely the mastermind behind these series of attacks.
October 5th (last Monday):
A Turkish cargo ship carrying corn was attacked by drones, caught fire, and sank off the coast of Romania, resulting in 2 deaths and 11 rescued individuals.
Due to continued Russian bombings of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, Ukraine is heavily reliant on the Danube River waterway and routes near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. The spread of drone warfare directly impacts this critical channel, often referred to as the “global food artery.”
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu warned that the Black Sea, with a high number of casualties among seafarers in recent months, has become the “deadliest maritime area,” urging countries to increase investments in deterrence and defense. Bulgarian Prime Minister Radev mentioned that EU leaders are discussing a suspension of civilian ship attacks in the Black Sea.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, after meeting with Dan and Radev on Thursday, stated, “NATO will continue to collaborate closely with our allies in the Black Sea and adjust our deterrence and defense posture as needed.”