ED Shipping Withdraws 19 Ships After Drone Strikes Force Black Sea Shipping Pause

The crew of the cargo ship HS Dignity abandoned their vessel at 1:30 a.m. on October 13 after a sea drone struck the hull. The ship was sinking in heavy swells, and the captain ordered all 16 crew members, who are Syrian and Egyptian nationals, into the water. They spotted a boat approaching in the darkness and assumed it was a rescue team. Chief officer Ashraf Mamdouh, 42, later realized the vessel was uncontrolled and part of the attacking group. The drone rammed the ship, preventing the full launch of lifeboats.

Maritime analysts state that nearly 50 commercial vessels have been attacked in the Black Sea this month. These strikes have forced much of the traffic in this key shipping corridor to a standstill. At least 31 seafarers have been killed or are missing. NATO has responded by deploying more patrol boats and radar to step up maritime security. Many recent attacks occurred in the western Black Sea, including off the coasts of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania. A search-and-rescue operation was underway on Friday after a Comoros-flagged ship was hit by drones just outside Romanian territorial waters. One body has been recovered from that ship, and three crew members remain missing. Romanian President Nicuşordan blamed Russia for the incident.

Data from the maritime risk firm Ambrey indicate more than 500 attacks on commercial vessels this year in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The firm believes Russia was responsible for 40 of the 45 attacks recorded in October. Russia's Ministry of Defence has acknowledged striking dozens of ships this month, stating they supported Ukraine's military. Mamdouh said the Dignity had sailed from Algeria and was heading to Romania to load grain.

After the drones hit, Mamdouh urged others to swim clear of the sinking 123-metre ship. Strong winds and currents pulled people apart. He lay in a drifting life raft for four hours until the vessel Azov Concord appeared. He signaled with his phone's flashlight and was rescued. He is one of five survivors. Eleven crew members are listed as missing, including 18-year-old Hamza Suleiman, a Syrian on his first voyage. His father, Basel, said his son called on the night of October 12 to report their location in Bulgaria. Suleiman had hoped to work in the engine room but was assigned to the deck. He grew fearful after the Alfa Watan was struck by drones on October 6, an attack that left ten crew members, mostly Syrian, unrecovered. Mamdouh told the father he last saw Hamza wearing a life jacket.

Khaldoun Nabelsi, head of the Syrian Seafarers Association of the U.K., has counted at least 18 Syrian seafarers killed. He stated that sailors are often forced to take these jobs to maintain income. The Philippine government has barred its citizens from boarding vessels in the northern Black Sea.

Shipping companies are scaling back operations in response to the risk. Turkey-based ED Shipping has laid up 19 of its 26 vessels, according to chief financial officer Demre İşçen. The company is losing millions of dollars each month. Its ship Circon was hit on June 5 in the Sea of Azov, killing two crew members. Ukraine acknowledged that attack, claiming the vessels carried stolen Ukrainian grain, military cargo, and fuel. İşçen disputes this, saying the ship was heading to load Russian grain. Mamdouh and his surviving crewmates are waiting in Bulgaria for new documents to fly home. Mamdouh said he will not return to the Black Sea.

The Dignity incident highlights the growing danger for commercial shipping in the region. The combination of drone attacks and limited rescue capabilities has left many crews stranded. The loss of the Alfa Watan and the Dignity has drawn attention to the specific risks faced by sailors from Syria and Egypt. As NATO increases its presence, shipping companies are reevaluating their routes and insurance costs. The waiting period for new documents in Bulgaria underscores the logistical challenges facing survivors of these maritime incidents.