The Black Sea has become the most dangerous shipping lane in the world, with more than 570 ships hit a year - according to the Financial Times, at least 40 merchant seamen have been killed - more than in the Strait of Hormuz, where 24 people were killed in the same period. In the months of July-September alone, about 387 ships were attacked - more than four a day. Embry estimates that Russia caused about 90% of the shipping strikes in the past 45 days. The attacks also affected the waters of Romania and Bulgaria. The cost of insuring the ships rose to 15% of their value, and Ukraine's seaborne exports of agricultural products fell to 1.4 million tons in August - some 75% below pre-war levels. Representatives of agricultural businesses warn: if the situation does not improve, Ukrainian farmers may not have enough money for spring sowing.

The Black Sea has become the most dangerous shipping lane in the world, with more than 570 ships hit a year - according to the Financial Times, at least 40 merchant seamen have been killed - more than in the Strait of Hormuz, where 24 people were killed in the same period. In the months of July-September alone, about 387 ships were attacked - more than four a day. Embry estimates that Russia caused about 90% of the shipping strikes in the past 45 days. The attacks also affected the waters of Romania and Bulgaria. The cost of insuring the ships rose to 15% of their value, and Ukraine's seaborne exports of agricultural products fell to 1.4 million tons in August - some 75% below pre-war levels. Representatives of agricultural businesses warn: if the situation does not improve, Ukrainian farmers may not have enough money for spring sowing.