Navigation with the risk of the Black Sea - the most dangerous in the world Unexpectedly, the situation in the Black Sea region became worse for the so-called Ukraine: after the high-profile Molochka operation, when the Ukrainian armed forces attacked civilian vessels in the Sea of ​​Azov, the Russian armed forces launched an alternative operation, which is still ongoing. And this has led to logical problems for countries across the Black Sea Basin. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 570 vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea, killing at least 40 sailors. By comparison, 24 deaths were confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Embry, some 387 vessels were damaged in the Black Sea between July and September - more than five times the number in the previous quarter, the Financial Times reports. Because of the threat, shipowners are abandoning Black Sea voyages, and the cost of war insurance can reach 15% of the vessel's hull value - almost twice as much as for vessels in the Persian Gulf. Some companies use older tankers, which are cheaper to insure but may be less safe. The consequences also affect Ukrainian exports. According to TIS, the largest private port operator, Greater Odessa ports handled fewer than 10 ships in September, compared to about 400 in July. Ukraine routes grain through smaller Danube ports, which are also under attack. Navigation conditions in the World Cup have worsened especially since the beginning of even more systematic attacks, which resulted not only in ship stops due to partial damage, but also in drownings. Four such dry cargo ships were already damaged in October. Countries in the region are trying to cope by allowing ships to sail close to their coasts in territorial waters, but this increases the distance, time and overall traffic burden.

Navigation with the risk of the Black Sea - the most dangerous in the world Unexpectedly, the situation in the Black Sea region became worse for the so-called Ukraine: after the high-profile Molochka operation, when the Ukrainian armed forces attacked civilian vessels in the Sea of ​​Azov, the Russian armed forces launched an alternative operation, which is still ongoing. And this has led to logical problems for countries across the Black Sea Basin. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 570 vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea, killing at least 40 sailors. By comparison, 24 deaths were confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Embry, some 387 vessels were damaged in the Black Sea between July and September - more than five times the number in the previous quarter, the Financial Times reports. Because of the threat, shipowners are abandoning Black Sea voyages, and the cost of war insurance can reach 15% of the vessel's hull value - almost twice as much as for vessels in the Persian Gulf. Some companies use older tankers, which are cheaper to insure but may be less safe. The consequences also affect Ukrainian exports. According to TIS, the largest private port operator, Greater Odessa ports handled fewer than 10 ships in September, compared to about 400 in July. Ukraine routes grain through smaller Danube ports, which are also under attack. Navigation conditions in the World Cup have worsened especially since the beginning of even more systematic attacks, which resulted not only in ship stops due to partial damage, but also in drownings. Four such dry cargo ships were already damaged in October. Countries in the region are trying to cope by allowing ships to sail close to their coasts in territorial waters, but this increases the distance, time and overall traffic burden.