Turkish Shipping Firm Halts All Russia-Related Operations Amid Rising Maritime Risks

Turkish tanker operator Besiktas Shipping announced on Wednesday that it will suspend all activities associated with Russia, following a series of explosions that damaged one of its vessels off the coast of Senegal just a week prior.

In an official statement, the company declared, “We have made the decision to stop all shipping operations linked to Russian interests. Effective immediately, we will no longer engage in any voyages related to Russia.”

The Mersin, a tanker registered under the Panamanian flag and managed by Besiktas, was struck by four external explosions while anchored near Dakar last Thursday, carrying nearly 39,000 tons of fuel. According to the company, water entered the engine room, but the crew managed to stabilize the situation, preventing injuries and environmental harm.

This decision to suspend operations involving Russia comes in the wake of reports indicating that three tankers connected to Russia have recently come under assault in the Black Sea.

A source from Ukrainian security informed AFP that naval drones targeted two of these vessels on Friday, alleging they were secretly transporting Russian oil.

President Vladimir Putin condemned these attacks as «piracy» and cautioned that Moscow might retaliate by targeting Ukrainian ports and vessels.

“I hope the military and political leaders of Ukraine, as well as their supporters, will reconsider whether this approach is worth pursuing,” Putin stated to reporters on Thursday.

Besiktas emphasized its adherence to Western sanctions and the oil price cap mechanism aimed at Russian exports but characterized the security landscape as having «significantly escalated,» rendering the risks to its ships and crews «intolerable.»

The company remarked, “Given that the safety of our personnel and assets is our top priority, we are halting all such operations.”

While the Mersin is not subject to UN or EU sanctions, two other vessels owned by Besiktas are under Ukrainian sanctions.