Turkey resumes ship transits to Black Sea through straits

Turkey has resumed allowing vessels to transit its straits toward the Black Sea after several days of delays amid heightened security risks in the region. On Sunday, August 9, some vessels bound for Russian and Ukrainian ports resumed their passage, Bloomberg reported, citing ship-tracking data.

In particular, the Aegean Dream tanker entered the Dardanelles after waiting for permission to transit since Thursday. The vessel was signaling the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in Russia’s Novorossiysk as its destination. The container ship Mehmet Kahveci A also passed through the Dardanelles on its way to Novorossiysk.

Turkey’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety had previously informed some vessels bound for Ukrainian and Russian ports that transit permits for such voyages were temporarily not being issued. Authorities did not publicly explain the reason for the restrictions. The delays came amid an increase in attacks on merchant shipping in the Black Sea, including vessels sailing under the Turkish flag or owned by Turkish companies.

Turkey has called on Ukraine and russia to declare a “moratorium” on attacks in the Black Sea. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara had prepared a number of measures aimed at improving shipping safety and had already begun implementing them. Turkish authorities have become increasingly vocal about threats to civilian merchant vessels in the region.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported, citing a U.S. official, that Ukraine had agreed to help ensure safe passage for some oil tankers not linked to russia. The resumption of transit through the Turkish straits is important for Black Sea trade, as the Bosphorus and Dardanelles remain the only maritime route connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean.

Tags: Turkey, Black Sea region