Turkey has restricted ship traffic to the Black Sea — Bloomberg
Turkey has begun restricting the movement of some commercial vessels heading toward the Black Sea due to an increase in the number of attacks in the region. Some vessels heading to Novorossiysk, Russia, or Ukrainian ports are facing delays in obtaining permits to pass through the Dardanelles.
Turkey is restricting the movement of some commercial vessels heading toward the Black Sea. The reason is an increase in the number of attacks on ships in this region. According to the publication, Turkey’s General Directorate of Coast Guard has informed several ships bound for the Russian port of Novorossiysk that it is currently not issuing transit permits for such voyages or is taking longer than usual to review applications for passage through the Dardanelles Strait.
Novorossiysk is one of Russia’s key ports. In particular, large volumes of Russian oil and grain pass through it. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the restrictions may apply not only to ships bound for Russia. Some operators have been informed that the delays and restrictions also apply to vessels bound for Ukrainian ports.
However, the Turkish side has not yet explained the reasons for this decision. Turkey’s General Directorate of Coast Guard referred questions regarding the restrictions to the country’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in Ankara. At the same time, traffic through the Dardanelles has not come to a complete halt. Bloomberg, citing vessel tracking data, notes that as of 1:00 p.m. local time, ships bound for Bulgarian and Turkish ports continued to move north through the strait.
The situation escalated following several attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea. This week, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that several crew members were injured as a result of drone attacks on two Turkish vessels. Among the injured were Turkish citizens.
Against the backdrop of these attacks, Ankara is evidently stepping up its focus on maritime security in the region. At the same time, there has been no official announcement so far regarding a complete suspension of commercial vessel passage through the Dardanelles toward the Black Sea. Restrictions could affect port operations and maritime transport in the region if delays in issuing permits continue. Bloomberg reports this, citing sources familiar with the situation.
On August 7, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a mutual defense agreement in Mecca. The agreement stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three states will be considered an attack on all three countries.
