On Thursday, a Russian cruise ship Astoria Grande, the only Russian liner serving international routes, was forced to drift near Istanbul for several hours. There were over on board 600 Russian passengerswho were waiting for permission from the Turkish maritime authorities to enter the port in the historic district of Galata. However, consent did not come.
The ship's captain decided to return to the Black Sea and direct the unit to the Russian port of Sochi.
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Problems of a Turkish ship in Russia
Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News reports that the incident occurred just days after Russian authorities in Krasnodar Krai refused to allow the Turkish Seabridge ferry to enter the port of Sochi. Russian special units then boarded the ship and conducted an eight-hour search that even included the submerged hull of the ferry.
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Although the Seabridge was eventually allowed into the port area, it was not allowed to dock at the quay. The ferry captain also decided to return to Turkish waters.
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In response to these events, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu made Ankara's position clear: “We will apply the principle of reciprocity and do the same. Be sure of that“.
Russian drone attack on a Turkish ship
However, the most serious incident occurred earlier, when Russian drones attacked the MT Orinda tanker sailing under the Turkish flag. The vessel unloading liquefied gas in the Ukrainian port of Izmail was hit, which caused a fire on the ship. Fortunately, the crew was not injured, but the incident further inflamed relations between Moscow and Ankara.
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Are these events just a series of random incidents, or perhaps a symptom of deeper political tensions between Russia and Turkey? Experts warn that if the situation is not resolved quickly, it could have serious consequences for relations between the two countries, which are already balancing on a fine line of geopolitical interests.
Astoria Grande – a large Russian ship
Astoria Grande is an eleven-deck Russian cruise ship, known as a modern and comfortable “floating hotel”, which from 2022 operates cruises from Sochi on the Black Sea and towards Turkey. It is approximately 193 m long, has a draft of 6 m and can accommodate over 593 cabins for passengers and several hundred crew members.
On board, it provides a rich recreational offer – restaurants, bars, theatre, cinema, SPA center and children's clubs, all in the “all inclusive” system. Astoria Grande is an important project for Russian maritime tourism because it gives Russians the opportunity to travel to ports to which they previously had limited access, without the need for visas.
The Astoria Grande has experienced protests in the past – for example, in Batumi, Georgia, there were demonstrations against the presence of Russian tourists on board.
