Black Sea maritime tensions cause shipping congestion in Marmara Sea

Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine have brought Black Sea trade to a near standstill, causing hundreds of merchant vessels to anchor in the Marmara Sea and off the coast of Istanbul. Due to security risks, many ships are unable to enter the Black Sea, leading to extreme congestion where anchorage areas are overflowing and forcing approximately 90% of vessels to drift while waiting.

Mustafa Can, Chairman of Transbosphor Denizcilik, reported that 206 ships have been hit in the region over the last four months, including approximately 40 Turkish-owned or Turkish-flagged vessels. This has left about 150 Turkish river-sea type ships idle. Can warned that if the situation persists for another three to four months, the Turkish river-type fleet could face total loss and become scrap.

The crisis poses significant economic and environmental threats. The reduction in vessel transit through the Turkish Straits—dropping from an average of 200 ships per day to between 30 and 40—could cause annual revenues to plummet from $1 billion to $200 million. Furthermore, the targeting of tankers raises the risk of environmental disasters, such as oil spills entering the Turkish Straits, and the shift to more expensive logistics routes may fuel global and local inflation.