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Turkish maritime authorities say a commercial tanker carrying a cargo of sunflower oil came under attack in the Black Sea while sailing from Russia to Georgia, raising concerns over the safety of vegetable oil shipping routes in the region.
Turkey's Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said on Tuesday that the tanker MIDVOLGA-2, which is used to transport oils, was attacked around 130 kilometres, or 80 miles, off the Turkish coast. The incident comes just days after Ukrainian drone strikes hit two Russian oil tankers, suggesting the scope of such attacks is widening to include vessels carrying food products and oils.
Incident details and crew safety: Authorities said in a statement that the tanker's 13-member crew were unharmed, and that the vessel did not request assistance and continued sailing towards the Turkish port of Sinop.
A threat to commercial shipping: Commenting on the escalation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attacks pose "a threat to the safety of navigation, human lives and the environment", noting that previous strikes had occurred within Turkey's exclusive economic zone. Erdogan said warnings had been issued to all parties to avoid further escalation that could disrupt maritime trade.
Market context: Previous Ukrainian attacks had largely targeted vessels in Russia's shadow fleet used to ship crude oil in circumvention of sanctions. However, the targeting of a tanker carrying sunflower oil marks a notable development that could weigh on marine insurance costs and disrupt oil export flows from the vital Black Sea region.