Turkey proposes separate safe corridors for Ukrainian and Russian vessels in the Black Sea

Turkey has proposed establishing two separate corridors for safe navigation in the Black Sea, according to the Turkish newspaper Milliyet. Under Ankara’s initiative, Ukrainian merchant vessels would sail toward the Bosphorus along the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria, while Russian vessels would follow routes along the coasts of Georgia and Turkey. The proposal aims to separate shipping routes and reduce the risk of attacks.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan previously presented Ukraine and Russia with a draft agreement to halt attacks on vessels. The initiative seeks to protect civilian shipping, similar to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which operated in 2022–2023 and facilitated Ukrainian agricultural exports by sea.

The need for new agreements has become more urgent following a series of attacks on merchant vessels in early October. On October 6, the bulk carriers Alfa Watan and Able were attacked off the Bulgarian coast. The first vessel sank, while a fire broke out aboard the second, prompting the evacuation of all 18 crew members. On the same day, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Aframax Rio was attacked near Russia’s Sochi. The tanker is under Ukrainian sanctions for its involvement in Russia’s shadow fleet. A major fire broke out on board, but all 23 crew members were rescued.

The prospects for implementing Turkey’s initiative remain uncertain, although safe maritime routes are crucial for maintaining stable grain and oilseed exports from the Black Sea region.

Tags: Russia, Turkey, export, Black Sea region, agricultural products, war, Black Sea grain corridor, Ukraine