Greece Urges Black Sea Fleet to Heighten Security After String of Attacks

On July 22, Greece’s shipping ministry released an advisory urging all Greek-flagged commercial vessels operating in the Black Sea to upgrade security measures. The advisory, seen by Reuters, cited a “heightened tension” due to recent attacks on merchant ships and recommended that crews increase protective protocols while transiting the region.

The Straits Times

The advisory follows a series of assaults in the past week. On July 19, a Russian missile struck a corn-carrying vessel near Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa, killing 10 people. Two Greek-operated tankers—the crude oil tanker ASIA (managed by Dynacom) and NISSOS IOS (owned by Kyklades Maritime Corp)—were hit by sea-drone attacks while loading at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal, a 940-mile pipeline that moves roughly 80 percent of Kazakhstan’s oil exports to Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. A third Greek-flagged vessel was reported attacked in the same area in the July 21 advisory.

The Straits TimesGreek fleet on alert after wave of Black Sea maritime attacks Greece tells commercial fleet to raise Black Sea security

Greek-operated ships constitute one of the world’s largest tanker fleets and are critical to energy and commodity flows through the Black Sea, whose waters are bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey, and the warring states of Russia and Ukraine. The CPC terminal, a key export hub for Kazakhstan, has become a focal point for drone-borne threats, underscoring the vulnerability of commercial infrastructure amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Greek fleet on alert after wave of Black Sea maritime attacks Greece tells commercial fleet to raise Black Sea security The Straits Times

The ministry’s recommendation reflects concerns that continued attacks could disrupt the flow of oil, grain and other commodities vital to European markets. By urging heightened security, Greece aims to protect its fleet’s operational continuity and mitigate the risk of further casualties or cargo losses in a maritime corridor already strained by military hostilities.

Greek fleet on alert after wave of Black Sea maritime attacks

—encapsulates the government’s stance that enhanced protective actions are necessary to safeguard Greek-flagged vessels amid the escalating maritime conflict.

Greek fleet on alert after wave of Black Sea maritime attacks