Turkey restricts Black Sea passage after merchant ships attacked near Novorossiysk

Turkish authorities have begun restricting passage for ships heading to the Black Sea as drone attacks on merchant vessels in the area have increased amid the intensifying conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg reported Saturday.

According to multiple sources, Turkey's Directorate General of Coastal Safety has stopped issuing transit permits for several vessels bound for Novorossiysk, one of Russia's major oil and grain export hubs. Some ships were told their permit applications required additional review time, though no further explanation was provided. The same restrictions apply to vessels heading to Ukraine.

The Dardanelles, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus — all enclosed by Turkish territory — form the only maritime route connecting the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

The move appears to be a response to drone attacks Monday on two Turkish merchant ships that had departed Novorossiysk, leaving several crew members injured, including Turkish nationals.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said at the time that it was "deeply concerned about the Russia-Ukraine war spreading to the Black Sea and affecting civilian vessels despite our warnings," adding that "if preventive measures are not taken, the escalating tensions in the Black Sea will have negative consequences in many areas, including food security."