The safety of commercial shipping in international waters has once again come into focus after two separate events: drone attacks near the strategic port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea and the robbery of a Singapore-flagged tanker in the port of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
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EOS Marine reported that during the night of August 11-12, drone attacks were recorded in the Novorossiysk area and in Crimea. Explosions were heard near the port area of Novorossiysk, as well as in the vicinity of facilities used for storing and processing grains and other agricultural products.
There is still no confirmation on the extent of the damage, while verifications regarding the incident continue. Due to these uncertainties, preliminary data are considered to have a medium level of reliability.
This development has once again heightened concerns about sailing conditions in the Black Sea. Novorossiysk ranks among the main Russian ports for exporting oil, its products, and grains. Damage to infrastructure or the suspension of its operations could affect cargo turnover, insurance prices, and the planning of ship routes.
Ships sailing in this region are advised to maintain continuous monitoring via radar and visual surveillance, implement safety procedures, and immediately report any suspicious activity to the authorities. Special attention should be paid to local notices about air threats.
The other incident occurred on August 9, around 22:00 UTC, in the port of Chittagong, Bangladesh. A Singapore-flagged tanker, anchored in the port, reported that unauthorized persons had boarded the vessel.
The crew spotted four persons near a storage area in the central part of the tanker. They fled after the alarm was activated, but subsequent checks showed that items and equipment had been stolen from the storeroom.
There were no injuries among the crew members and the tanker did not request assistance. After the incident, the vessel was expected to continue its journey to Sri Lanka. Data on this case are assessed with high reliability.
According to maritime security experts, most robberies of commercial ships are recorded near shores, in restricted waters, or when vessels are anchored, moored, or moving at low speed.
To prevent such incidents, constant vigilance, adequate lighting, access control to the ship’s interior spaces, and immediate notification of the police and port authorities for any suspicious activity are recommended.
Although different in nature, both events highlight the same concern: maritime transport is facing increasingly diverse threats, ranging from drone strikes near strategically important ports to robberies on anchored ships.
