The Turkish Coast Guard has informed multiple vessels heading to Novorossiysk that it is currently not issuing permits for passage through the Dardanelles or requires additional time to process applications. Some ships have also been advised that this restriction applies to routes toward Ukraine.
Meanwhile, vessels sailing to Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Turkey continue to transit the Dardanelles without issue.
Recently, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry reported that Turkish citizens were injured in attacks involving drones on two Turkish ships. Ankara has urged both Russia and Ukraine to take measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
This situation could also impact global trade and grain supplies from the Black Sea region. Bloomberg notes that an increase in attacks has already contributed to a rise in wheat prices, reaching a two-year high in July.
Context
- On August 8, Bloomberg reported that Ukraine agreed to a U.S. request not to attack oil tankers and infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) near Novorossiysk, crucial for the export of Kazakh oil. The CPC accounts for approximately 2% of global crude oil supply.
