Russian grain exports face new threat: five ships struck

At least five vessels involved in Russian grain exports were attacked near the Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse. Bloomberg reports this citing sources familiar with the situation.

Four vessels were struck on the morning of August 18, and another one a day earlier. These are the first confirmed cases of attacks on grain carriers that directly served Novorossiysk and Tuapse, amid growing risks for Russian exports via the Black Sea.

In Novorossiysk, the Russian bulker Victoria V, which was supposed to load about 7,000 tons of wheat, was attacked. The vessel Fehu under the flag of the Marshall Islands was struck after leaving the port with a cargo of wheat, but managed to continue its voyage.

The bulker Elina B under the flag of Malta was attacked after loading approximately 56,000 tons of wheat in Novorossiysk. According to Bloomberg, the vessel then continued moving towards the Bosphorus.

In the port of Tuapse, drones attacked the vessel Necibe under the flag of San Marino, which was supposed to receive about 20,000 tons of wheat. Another bulker, Anna S under the flag of Liberia, was heading to Novorossiysk for a cargo of barley when a fire broke out on board as a result of the strike. The vessel lost the ability to continue its voyage.

Separately, the Russian vessel Victoria V is listed in the Ukrainian database War&Sanctions. The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine links it to cargo shipments from temporarily occupied territories and the export of Ukrainian grain.

The new attacks exacerbate the problems of Russian grain logistics. Current Ukraine previously reported that after a large-scale strike on August 12, major grain terminals in Novorossiysk suspended operations. Prior to that, attacks had effectively halted shipments from the Sea of Azov ports, which account for a significant part of Russian grain exports.

The disruptions have already affected the Russian domestic market. It was earlier reported that due to problems with sea deliveries, Russian wheat sharply fell in price, while the risks of reduced Black Sea exports support global grain prices.

Bloomberg does not report who exactly carried out the attacks on the five vessels. The Ukrainian side at the time of publication had not officially claimed responsibility for these strikes.

Based on materials from: Bloomberg, Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine