Black Sea Shipping Activity Falls 37% As Attacks On Merchant Ships Increase
Shipping activity in the Black Sea has fallen by 37% compared with last year as attacks on merchant ships and port infrastructure have increased, Ukrainian outlet Intent reported.
According to the report, 1,370 cargo ships with a deadweight of over 1,000 metric tons operated in the region’s waters in October 2026, while 2,091 vessels operated as recently as March.
Activity declined steadily every month after March, with the sharpest drop recorded in August, when the monthly number of vessels fell by more than 10%.
Container ships and bulk carriers were hit particularly hard, as their presence in the Black Sea has nearly halved since June.
Analysts noted that shipowners are increasingly reassessing the risks of operating in the region due to the threat of shelling, with newer and more expensive vessels more likely to avoid dangerous routes. They also said that the threat to commercial shipping is gradually spreading to waters near the borders of NATO countries.
Meanwhile, sailing in the Black Sea has become dangerous enough that insuring a ship on high-risk voyages now costs more, the report said.
More than 570 ships have been attacked in the Black Sea since the beginning of 2026, while at least 40 sailors have been killed, according to the latest reports.
References: Intent; Intent, citing the Financial Times
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