Off Romania's Black Sea coast, two tankers were hit by drones within approximately twelve hours. Reuters reported on October 16 about the resumption of the search for seven missing sailors from the Wine Trader. Five crew members had been rescued.
The Wine Trader sails under the flag of San Marino. According to the report, it was hit early on October 15 outside Romanian territorial waters. The Yara J had already been attacked late on the previous evening within Romanian waters. Its crew remained unharmed; the vessel was towed to Constanta. (Source: Reuters via Internazionale)
For transport planning purposes, these incidents demonstrate a concrete security risk near the Romanian coast. However, this does not result in a documented closure of all Black Sea ports. Statements about the attackers should only be adopted with clear evidence.
Freight forwarders and shippers should query the current status with the shipowner or agent for affected voyages. Port of call, waiting position, and potential delays should be discussed. The agreed insurance coverage should also be reviewed. For sensitive or time-critical goods, a contingency plan is advisable. However, any rerouting must match the specific port and cargo flow; blanket decisions for the entire sea region are of little help.