Turkey’s maritime affairs directorate confirmed another attack on a commercial tanker in the Black Sea on Tuesday. The tanker was sailing towards Georgia. No one was injured. This was the third such incident in recent days.

The vessel was Midvolga 2. It was carrying sunflower oil from Russia. The attack happened around 80 nautical miles from the Turkish coast in the central Black Sea.

The Turkish directorate shared details on X. It said all 13 crew members were safe. The ship did not need help. It continued its journey to the Turkish port of Sinop.

Previous attacks raise alarm

Two more commercial ships were hit last Friday. Explosions struck them off the Turkish coast. A Ukrainian security source claimed responsibility. The source said drones attacked vessels that were “covertly transporting Russian oil.”

These back-to-back incidents have raised serious alarm in Turkey. They also increased fears across the shipping industry.

Erdogan condemns the strikes

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted strongly. He called the attacks a “worrying escalation.”

Erdogan said Turkey “cannot under any circumstances accept these attacks, which threaten the safety of navigation, the environment and lives in our exclusive economic zone.” He also said the war now “threatens the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.”

His statement showed rising concern over the growing danger in the region.

Insurance costs climb fast

Ukrainian naval drone attacks on tankers have increased risks in the Black Sea. As a result, war risk insurance premiums have jumped, according to Reuters.

Insurers now charge higher rates for ships entering danger zones.

For vessels going to Ukrainian ports, the rate has risen to around 0.5% of the ship’s value. It was earlier 0.4%.
For ships going to Russian Black Sea ports like Novorossiysk, the rate now stands between 0.65% and 0.8%. It was earlier about 0.6%.

Insurers believe Kyiv wants to cut Russia’s oil money by targeting non-military ships.