Turkey has begun restricting vessel access to the Black Sea due to an increase in Russian and Ukrainian drone attacks, Bloomberg reported on Saturday. Sources knowledgeable about the situation said the measure affects shipping routes through the Turkish straits.
The General Directorate of Coastal Safety of Turkey informed several vessels heading to Novorossiysk, Russia, that it is currently withholding passage permits or needs additional time to review applications to pass through the Dardanelles Strait. Novorossiysk is a major export hub for Russian crude oil and grain, and the strait connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. The Turkish authority stated that the same transit restrictions apply to vessels traveling toward ports in Ukraine.
Impact on global trade and grain exports
The shipping restrictions in the Black Sea threaten to further complicate global trade at a time when oil transport has already fallen because of the war in Iran. Heightened Russian and Ukrainian strikes have also increased concerns regarding uninterrupted grain exports from the region, which contributed to wheat prices reaching a two-year high in July.
Maritime attacks have escalated significantly in recent weeks. The Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, under the leadership of Robert Brovdi, struck 218 vessels in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov as part of Operation MoLoCHKa. The military operation began on July 6, 2026, with the objective of disrupting enemy maritime logistics.
Naval blockade and port disruptions
A new phase of Russia's naval blockade of Ukraine commenced on July 23. Heavy shelling of ports and ships across Greater Odesa caused vessel arrivals to stop completely.
Grain transportation by rail to Black Sea ports also decreased sharply following the strikes. In response to the attacks, Ukraine accused Russia of trying to turn the Black Sea into another Strait of Hormuz.
