Maritime Sector: 45 Drone Strikes Trigger Black Sea Trade Collapse

Commercial traffic in the Black Sea has largely stopped after a series of drone strikes killed or left missing at least 31 seafarers this month.

The disruption stems from nearly 50 attacks on commercial vessels since early October. Maritime analysts at Ambrey attribute 40 of the 45 recorded incidents in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed striking dozens of ships, stating that most targeted Ukraine’s military support. Ukraine counters that its forces hit ships carrying stolen grain, military cargo, or fuel. These claims have divided the industry and stalled movement in a key trade corridor.

The HS Dignity, a 123-meter cargo ship, illustrates the intensity of the threat. On Oct. 13, a sea drone struck the hull while the vessel sailed from Algeria to Romania to load grain. The crew abandoned ship in heavy swells. Chief officer Ashraf Mamdouh described a second, uncontrolled boat ramming their lifeboats. "We realized that this boat was also part of the group that was attacking us. Of course, we all ran," Mamdouh said. Five crew members survived. Eleven, including 18-year-old Syrian sailor Hamza Suleiman, remain missing. Suleiman’s father, Basel, noted that his son had expressed fear after the Alfa Watan was hit on Oct. 6, an incident where ten crew members were lost.

Other victims include a Comoros-flagged ship struck off Romania’s coast on Oct. 17. Of its 13 crew, one body was recovered and three remain missing. Romanian President Nicușor Dan blamed Russia for that specific strike. Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., counted at least 18 Syrian sailors killed. "Nobody is forced to take these jobs, but in other ways you are forced. If you want to work, you have to go," Nabelsi said. In response, the Philippine government barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea.

NATO has increased maritime security measures, including the deployment of additional patrol boats and radar systems in the region. Shipping companies are reacting by reducing operations. Demre İşcen, chief financial officer of Turkey-based ED Shipping, stated that the company has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels. İşcen said the company loses millions of dollars monthly while ships remain idle. The company’s vessel Circon was hit in June 2026, killing two crew members. İşcen disputes Ukraine’s claim that Circon carried stolen grain, insisting it was heading to load Russian grain.

Survivors of the HS Dignity are currently in Bulgaria. They are waiting for new travel documents to return home. Mamdouh said he would not return to the Black Sea. A search-and-rescue operation for the Comoros-flagged vessel continued on Friday. The next scheduled step involves the finalization of insurance claims and the return of remaining crews to their home countries.