Bulk carrier ‘ANNA S’ damaged by explosion in Black Sea

The Greek-owned bulk carrier ‘ANNA S’, owned by Neptune Tradebulk Inc., was severely damaged by a fire following an explosion in the Black Sea. The vessel was traveling without cargo toward Novorossiysk to load grain when the incident occurred.

All 21 crew members—comprising 20 Filipino sailors and one Romanian captain—were successfully rescued by the commercial vessel ‘Elina B’. Approximately five hours after the initial rescue, the ‘Elina B’ itself was reportedly struck. Despite the impact, the ‘Elina B’ continued toward a Turkish port at a speed of approximately 9.5 knots.

The incident highlights the increasing maritime security risks in the Black Sea, particularly near major Russian export hubs like Novorossiysk, as commercial vessels face heightened dangers due to ongoing military operations in the region.