An LPG tanker damaged by a drone attack has anchored off Trabzon, highlighting escalating maritime security concerns in the Black Sea.
An LPG tanker that was damaged in a drone attack in the Black Sea has anchored off the Söğütlü neighborhood of Akçaabat, Trabzon.
Another vessel that sustained damage from drone attacks targeting commercial ships in the Black Sea has reached Trabzon. The LPG tanker that anchored off the Söğütlü neighborhood of Akçaabat was observed to have been attacked at its bow and bridge. It has been noted that the recent escalation of mutual drone operations in the region has directly affected civil maritime transportation, with the Mv Reyhan Sarı bulk carrier and the Panama-flagged Gas Nero LPG tanker, which had previously been damaged in attacks, also arriving at the shores of Trabzon.
Damaged LPG Tanker Anchors Off Söğütlü
An LPG tanker that reportedly came under a drone attack in the Black Sea has arrived and anchored off the Söğütlü neighborhood of Akçaabat, Trabzon.
Signs of the attack were visible on the exterior of the vessel, particularly at the bow and the bridge. No detailed information has been shared regarding the tanker’s repair, inspection, or waiting process in a safe area. With the arrival of the vessel at the shores of Trabzon, another commercial ship affected by the attacks in the Black Sea has been added to the list.
Commercial Ships Targeted by Drone Attacks
Drone attacks targeting commercial cargo ships in international waters and port approaches in the Black Sea have raised concerns about maritime security in the region.
It has been reported that the escalating mutual drone operations amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have directly affected not only military areas but also civil maritime transportation. Bulk carriers, LPG tankers, and some commercial vessels carrying chemicals have been reported to have suffered damage from the attacks. It has been stated that the damaged vessels have been redirected to safe areas and are being held offshore.
Gas Nero Waiting Off Sürmene
Energy tankers navigating in the Black Sea have also been affected by drone attacks. The Panama-flagged LPG tanker Gas Nero experienced a fire on its deck following the attack.
After emergency response efforts coordinated by the Samsun Port Authority, the vessel was redirected to the shores of Trabzon for repairs and refuge. Gas Nero has been anchored off the coast of Sürmene, waiting in a safe area. It has also been reported that other commercial vessels carrying chemicals have been redirected to coastal areas for similar reasons.
Number of Damaged Ships Off Trabzon Increases
With the arrival of the latest LPG tanker that anchored off Söğütlü, the number of vessels affected by attacks in the Black Sea that have reached the shores of Trabzon has increased.
Following the Mv Reyhan Sarı bulk carrier, the LPG tanker Gas Nero anchored off Sürmene, while another LPG tanker reached the waters off Akçaabat’s Söğütlü neighborhood. The damage observed at the bow and bridge of the latest vessel highlights the impact of the attack. The ongoing threat to commercial vessels in the Black Sea continues to affect maritime transportation.
The arrival of another LPG tanker that was subjected to a drone attack in the Black Sea has once again brought to the forefront the security risks faced by commercial vessels in the region. While the damaged ship waits off the Söğütlü neighborhood of Akçaabat, new developments regarding the incident are expected to be shared.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
