Dr. Cahit İstikbal highlights the need for diplomacy to ensure safety in the Black Sea amid rising attacks on commercial vessels.
“Montreux is not an obstacle for escort; however, the risk of provocation is high.”
İstikbal stated that Turkey providing naval escort for commercial vessels in the Black Sea is not among the issues directly regulated by the Montreux Convention. However, he warned that the military escort option carries a serious risk of escalation and provocation, and he opposed the arming of ships.
Dr. Cahit İstikbal, President of the Maritime Safety Association, who was a guest on the Sine-i Millet program on MK TV, evaluated attacks on Turkish-flagged, Turkish-owned, or vessels with Turkish crews in the Black Sea, the safety of sailors, and the steps Turkey could take.
İstikbal noted that the attacks have gained a new and more dangerous dimension, especially since July 2026, and stated that Turkey needs to initiate a new effort based on diplomacy, evidence preservation, and secure trade corridors.
“Living quarters have started to be directly targeted.”
İstikbal explained that the attacks in the early stages of the war were primarily aimed at rendering the ships' machinery, steering, and propulsion systems inoperable, but recently, the living quarters of the ships have been targeted.
He recalled that Chief Engineer Kadir Kamilçelebi lost his life on the Turkish-flagged tanker SABAHAT TELLİ, and crew member Savaş Çakar died on the REYHAN SARI bulk carrier. He also reported that the Panama-flagged and Turkish-owned ATA-2 was attacked by a drone after departing from Ukraine with a cargo of corn, resulting in damage to the ship's living quarters, but no fatalities or injuries among the crew.
İstikbal pointed out that in most incidents, the responsibility for the attacks has not been formally claimed by the parties involved, emphasizing that evidence should be carefully collected before a definitive judgment is made regarding the perpetrators.
The rescue ship was also attacked.
During the program, an example was given of the GAS NERO tanker, which participated in the evacuation of injured sailors from the GAS AURA tanker that was attacked near Kavkaz, and later itself came under a drone attack.
İstikbal stated that targeting a civilian ship that is helping sailors in distress is an extremely serious situation in terms of maritime assistance obligations and humanitarian law.
A central evidence file should be prepared for each attack.
İstikbal emphasized that Turkey should not be content with only diplomatic statements, suggesting that comprehensive evidence collection should be conducted after each attack.
According to İstikbal:
- Drone and ammunition fragments should be preserved,
- Camera footage from before and after the attack should be collected,
- Navigation, communication, and AIS records should be maintained,
- Ship damage should be documented by experts,
- Crew witness statements should be recorded without delay.
İstikbal called for the files prepared by maritime companies to be collected centrally by the state, stating that this evidence could be used in future diplomatic initiatives, intergovernmental compensation claims, and on international platforms.
State immunity may hinder individual lawsuits.
İstikbal expressed that civilian commercial vessels should be protected as a rule even during wartime, noting that attacks on commercial vessels could lead to international responsibility under the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter, international customary law, and the San Remo Manual.
He explained that shipowners or crew members who have suffered damage may face serious difficulties in bringing lawsuits against the state responsible for the attack in national courts due to state immunity. In contrast, he noted that it is possible for Turkey to provide diplomatic protection and raise intergovernmental compensation claims.
İstikbal clarified that this does not necessarily mean filing a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice; states can also use diplomatic, economic, and political tools.
“The sector's demand is diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy.”
Summarizing the expectations of sector representatives he spoke with before the program with the words “Diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy,” İstikbal stated that Ankara should clearly convey the message “Do not touch commercial vessels” to both Moscow and Kiev.
He urged that the issue should be kept on the agenda continuously in international platforms, especially the International Maritime Organization, NATO, and others, arguing that the European Union, the USA, and the UK should also use their influence over Ukraine to protect civilian maritime operations.
İstikbal emphasized that Russia's attacks are also wrong, stating that both sides should refrain from targeting commercial vessels and civilian maritime traffic reaching ports.
A new initiative similar to the Grain Corridor.
İstikbal pointed out that Black Sea trade is not just a sectoral issue concerning shipowners, but also has strategic importance for Turkey’s food, grain, and energy security.
He expressed that Turkey could initiate a new secure maritime trade initiative similar to the role it previously played in the Grain Corridor process. He stated that this mechanism should aim to ensure that civilian vessels can navigate along designated routes without being attacked, with the participation of Russia, Ukraine, and relevant international actors.
Arms transfer could be a diplomatic bargaining chip.
The program also brought up media reports regarding Turkey potentially transferring certain weapon systems to Ukraine, although no official source was cited.
In response to the question of whether such a transfer process could be conditional on diplomatic terms, İstikbal replied that Turkey could make the safety of its own ships and citizens part of the bargaining. He summarized his approach with the words, “If you continue to attack our ships, we will not provide weapons.”
“Arming ships is a double-edged sword.”
İstikbal opposed the suggestion of equipping commercial vessels with shoulder-fired air defense weapons or similar systems, stating that this could complicate the legal and factual status of the civilian ship.
He warned that arming could provide the aggressor with a defense ground such as “I did not attack an innocent civilian target; the ship was armed,” describing this option as “a double-edged sword.”
Instead, he proposed the development of passive physical protection measures such as steel nets, cages, and similar barriers that would make it difficult for drones to approach the ship directly.
Is Montreux an obstacle for escort?
İstikbal expressed his view that the issue of Turkey escorting commercial vessels in the Black Sea with its own warships is not one of the topics directly regulated by the Montreux Convention.
However, he specifically stated that he does not recommend the military escort option, emphasizing that targeting a Turkish warship could have very serious military and political consequences:
“Such an application could open the door to dangerous provocations. Therefore, the priority should not be military escort, but diplomacy and secure corridors.”
Turkish-owned fleet ranks tenth in the world.
According to the data shared by İstikbal during the program, the Turkish-owned fleet ranks tenth in the world with 2,234 ships and a capacity of 51.8 million DWT. The share of the Turkish-owned fleet in the global maritime trade fleet is approximately 2 percent.
İstikbal noted that there are 144,000 seafarers in Turkey, more than one million holders of Amateur Seafarer Certificates, 218 port facilities, and 85 active shipyards, stating that the annual cargo handling volume has reached 553 million tons.
He emphasized that Turkish shipyards have achieved significant international standing, particularly in the construction of certain types of ships and tugboats.
The most dangerous phase of piloting: Boarding the ship.
İstikbal also spoke about his over thirty years of maritime and piloting experience, describing how pilots approach moving ships in a small boat and climb up rope ladders that extend meters above sea level.
He stated that due to waves, wind, and the different movements of the two vessels, the transfer operation is the most dangerous phase of the profession, recalling pilots who lost their lives during these operations.
He recounted an experience of suddenly entering thick fog while navigating a large tanker loaded with crude oil near Yeniköy in the Bosphorus, stating that piloting requires local knowledge, experience, and composure.
A call to youth for maritime careers.
İstikbal pointed out that maritime is a challenging profession due to months of separation, social deprivation, storms, and increasingly growing security threats; nevertheless, he urged young people not to shy away from maritime careers.
He encouraged young people to learn foreign languages, remain open to different cultures, and not lose their love for humanity, concluding his remarks with:
“The sea provides bread to people and nourishes them. Young people should love the sea, improve their foreign languages, and pursue this beautiful profession.”
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
