300 Ships Struck in Black Sea Amid Escalating Conflict; Turkey Faces Rising Shipping and Insurance Costs

Attacks in the Black Sea have struck approximately 300 ships during July and August 2026, including both civilian and military vessels, amid intensifying Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In July alone, 35 commercial ships were damaged.

This reality casts a direct shadow over the maritime shipping routes on which Turkey depends to import grain, animal feed, cooking oils, coal, iron and steel products, fertilizers, and oil. A dual surge in shipping prices and marine insurance premiums raises import costs for Turkish buyers, which translates to higher prices for goods in the domestic market.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared what he described as a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and the clashes then escalated to extend beyond strategic targets and affect commercial navigation in the Black Sea, raising the level of security risks facing merchant ships in the region.