Between August 17 and 18, five bulk carriers transporting grain came under drone attacks near Russia’s Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse within just 48 hours. This represents the most concentrated wave of strikes against Black Sea grain‑shipping lanes since mid‑July, marking a fresh escalation in reciprocal assaults by Russia and Ukraine targeting each other’s grain export corridors.

Four vessels sustained attacks on August 18:

1. Victoria V (Russian flag) – Attacked prior to loading
The small Russian‑flagged bulker Victoria V (IMO: 9454125) was struck while preparing to load wheat inside Novorossiysk port. Built at a Russian shipyard in 2007, the vessel measures 113 m in length and 18 m in breadth, with a gross tonnage of 5,087 GT and a deadweight tonnage of approximately 7,300 DWT. It is the smallest among the five affected ships, deployed mainly for short‑haul grain trades across the Black Sea.

 

Source: Vessel Value Visualization

 

2. Fehu (Marshall Islands flag) – Sustained damage post‑departure yet remained seaworthy
Flying the Marshall Islands flag, supramax‑type bulker Fehu (IMO: 9611826) was hit by drones after it departed Novorossiysk fully laden with wheat. The vessel stayed navigable despite the impact. Completed in 2012, it has a summer draft of 12.8 m and is under vessel management from the United Arab Emirates.

Source: Vessel Value Visualization

3. Elina B (Malta flag) – 56 000‑tonne wheat cargo hit en route to Bosporus
Malta‑flagged supramax bulker Elina B (IMO: 9577446) came under drone fire while transiting toward the Bosporus Strait after loading roughly 56 000 tonnes of wheat in Novorossiysk. Constructed 2010‑2011, the ship is 196 m long, 32 m wide, 34 374 GT, with deadweight tonnage of 58 551 DWT and grain cubic capacity of 75 531 m³. It features five cargo holds, five hatch covers and four 36‑tonne deck cranes. At the time of the incident, it carried nearly its full deadweight of wheat and was bound for Turkey.

Source: Vessel Value Visualization

4. Necibe (San Marino flag) – Attacked at berth in Tuapse awaiting cargo
San‑Marino‑flagged handysize bulker Necibe (IMO: 9548732) suffered a drone strike inside Tuapse port when standing by to take on around 20 000 tonnes of wheat. Built in 2009, the 168‑metre vessel has a breadth of 23 m and deadweight tonnage of 21 461 DWT. Notably, the vessel is owned and operated by Turkish ship‑owning interests.

Source: Vessel Value Visualization

One further ship was assaulted on August 17:

5. Anna S (Liberian flag) – Fire broke out en route to loading port; vessel lost propulsion (most severe damage)
The worst‑hit vessel was the Liberian‑flagged panamax bulker Anna S (IMO: 9207778). It was heading for Novorossiysk to load barley when targeted by drones. On‑board fires erupted, rendering the ship incapable of further navigation. Dating back to 2001, it is the oldest of the five vessels. With dimensions of 225 m × 32 m, gross tonnage of 40 030 GT and deadweight tonnage of 75 966 DWT, it is also the largest bulker in this incident.

Source: Vessel Value Visualization

This series of consecutive vessel attacks is not an isolated event. One week earlier, on August 12, Ukrainian forces launched large‑scale drone strikes against Novorossiysk, focusing on port infrastructure including grain‑loading galleries and grain silos. Since then, grain export operations out of Novorossiysk have been under heavy pressure; loading efficiency has dropped sharply and several berths have been forced to suspend operations.

Persistent drone assaults starting from July 10 have nearly brought grain exports from these Black Sea ports to a standstill.

Both Russia and Ukraine have ramped up strikes targeting each other’s grain‑carrying shipping. Combined, the two countries account for roughly one‑quarter of global wheat exports and constitute irreplaceable suppliers for international grain markets.