Russia’s Defence Ministry claims its forces struck two container ships and a dry cargo ship in and near Odesa and Chornomorsk, Ukraine’s main Black Sea ports, on 8 November. The claims have not been independently verified, and the ships’ names, flags and crew condition were not disclosed.
Prosecutors in Varna, Bulgaria, say badly damaged human remains were found while debris was cleared from a San Marino-flagged chemical tanker under repair. The ship matches the Wine Trader, hit by a drone near Sulina, Romania, in October, when seven of its 12 people went missing. DNA tests are ordered.
The drone-damaged tanker Mentor broke its towline in a Black Sea storm off Romania, and one of its Turkish tugs was badly damaged after hitting it. Three tug crew were moved to another tug, while Bulgaria says the unmanned tanker is drifting towards its Shabla coast.
Containers from the sunken containership Contship Jet have started washing ashore on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, including one stuck near Tsarevo. The ship sank on 29 October after a sea drone attack, and Bulgarian authorities have warned ships about drifting containers that cannot yet be recovered.
Ukraine, 34 other countries and the European Commission have asked the IMO Council, meeting in London this week, to condemn attacks on ships and ports around Odesa in the north-western Black Sea. Ukrainian figures show 23 seafarers and maritime workers were killed in July 2026 alone.
This week’s maritime roundup puts seafarer protection in focus: India and Liberia launch a joint initiative at the G20, India pursues a Black Sea plan to stop attacks on ships, DGMA eases its RPSL cap, a new federation forms in Chennai, and STCW delays and ammonia ships raise training questions.
Fourteen Filipino seafarers rescued after the container ship Contship Jet was hit by drones and sank off Bulgaria in the Black Sea are due home in the Philippines on 2 November. Survivors said they jumped into the sea and waited two to three hours before rescue.
Black Sea shipping safety is a daily concern for crews in 2026 as drone attacks, drifting mines and GPS jamming hit merchant ships. Learn how war-risk zones and IBF rights affect you, plus seven practical steps to protect yourself and your shipmates on board before your next voyage.
Speaking in Atlanta, USA, after the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India is in talks with Russia, Ukraine and Europe on a three-point plan. It covers no attacks on civilian shipping and seafarers, restoring Black Sea grain exports, and protecting energy facilities.
The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet has sunk about 21 nautical miles southeast of Shabla, near Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria’s Black Sea waters, after three sea drones struck it on 28 October. All 18 crew, 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians, had already been rescued and taken to Varna.
The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet was struck by drones in the Black Sea about 17 miles off Cape Kaliakra, near Varna, Bulgaria, on 28 October. The Bulgarian Navy rescued all 18 crew, 14 Filipinos and four Ukrainians. It is the ninth ship hit in the western Black Sea this month.
This week’s maritime roundup puts seafarer welfare in focus: October became the deadliest month for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, 82% of professionals say training falls short, Vizhinjam restarts crew changes, and green ports, ethanol bunkering and new fuel technologies reshape life on board.
Increased attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea have put seafarers at growing risk. This guide explains your rights when sailing into war zones, including refusal options, extra pay, and protections under Indian law, IBF agreements, and the Maritime Labour Convention. Know your rights before you sail.
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