August 2026 was one of the most challenging periods for civilian shipping in the Black Sea since the beginning of the full-scale war.

Throughout the month, new attacks and serious incidents involving civilian merchant vessels were reported, along with damage to port and transport infrastructure and the deaths and injuries of seafarers and workers who keep maritime transport operating.

According to official Ukrainian data, 52 civilian vessels were attacked during July and the first half of August 2026 alone. Some were carrying food and other cargoes to or from Ukrainian ports, while others were directly in port. The attacks resulted in crew fatalities and injuries, damaged vessels, and created additional risks to the freedom and safety of navigation.

One of the most serious incidents in August was the repeated attack on the bulk carrier EMIL on 5 August, while it was transiting the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor from the port of Pivdennyi carrying 173,000 tonnes of iron ore. A fire broke out on board, the crew was evacuated, and the vessel lost its seaworthiness.
On 17 August, during another attack on the Odesa region, a civilian vessel flying the Togolese flag was damaged, injuring four people.

By the end of the month, the threat had once again extended to the Danube region. On 27 August, a civilian vessel in the maritime port of Reni was damaged by debris from a drone. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

On 29 August, transport infrastructure related to grain shipments was hit in the Izmail district. One person was killed, and three were injured and hospitalised, while grain trucks were destroyed and damaged.

These incidents occurred against a backdrop of an already extremely high level of danger. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, at least 39 attacks on maritime vessels and port infrastructure were recorded in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in July alone, including at least 20 attacks directly targeting vessels. As a result, 19 civilians were killed, and 25 were injured, including vessel and port workers.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has condemned attacks on civilian merchant vessels in the Black and Azov Seas and called on all parties to the conflicts to refrain from any actions that endanger civilian shipping.
Seafarers are not parties to armed conflicts.

The Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU) once again stresses that the protection of seafarers, port workers and other maritime transport workers, the safety of civilian vessels, and freedom of navigation must remain an unconditional priority.
Further escalation in the Black Sea poses new risks to people, international shipping, Ukrainian exports, and global supply chains.

We hope that the escalation seen in August will not continue and that the safety of those working at sea and in ports will remain above the level of political and military confrontation.