Odesa, Ukraine. A Russian drone attack struck two commercial ships travelling through Ukraine’s Black Sea maritime corridor on July 14, killing the captain of the Tanzania-flagged Atlas Bey and injuring three crew members, according to Odesa authorities.
The incident followed a strike on another civilian merchant vessel in the Odesa region a day earlier, amid a widening exchange of attacks on shipping and maritime infrastructure in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Ships and crew affected
The Turkish-owned dry cargo ship Atlas Bey caught fire after it was struck. Its captain, an Azerbaijani national, was killed.
Eleven surviving crew members were brought ashore, including three who were injured. Information on damage to the second vessel, sailing under the Liberian flag, and the condition of its crew remained limited on Wednesday.
Previous strike
The attack came one day after a Russian strike hit a Togolese-flagged civilian merchant vessel in the Odesa region, killing three crew members and injuring five.
Ukraine said the vessel had been carrying agricultural products. Reuters reported that it was struck while operating near a Ukrainian port.
International maritime warning
The International Maritime Organisation condemned attacks on civilian merchant ships, warning that they endanger seafarers, threaten navigation, disrupt supply chains and undermine principles on which international shipping depends.
The IMO called on parties involved in conflicts to avoid actions that put merchant crews or the marine environment at risk and to respect international law and navigational freedoms.
Impact on shipping networks
The attacks add to disruptions linked to the pandemic, the Red Sea crisis and wider geopolitical instability, which have prompted shipping companies to reconsider their global networks.
Carriers are placing greater emphasis on security, port reliability, alternative connections and the ability to absorb sudden disruption, rather than relying primarily on sailing distance and fuel costs.
