Maritime Security and Safety in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov (2024)

Maritime Security and Safety in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov (1)

Black Sea Initiative

The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) Istanbul -comprising representatives ofthe Russian Federation, Türkiye,Ukraineand the United Nations -has been established to facilitate the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative to establish a humanitarian maritime corridor to allow ships to export grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers from Ukraine. (See links on the right of this pagefor BSIlatest news).

IMO update

The ongoing armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine presents a serious and immediate threat to the safety and security of crews and vessels operating in the region. IMO is continuing to liaise closely with all key stakeholders in the region to contribute to efforts to address the safety and security of seafarers and shipping.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has established an Emergency Task Force to coordinate efforts to mitigate the security and safety risks to shipping, ports and seafarers. A stranded ship reporting form has been introduced. Guidance and advice to keep Flag States appraised of the ongoing situation is updated when it becomes available.

At the start of the conflict approximately 2000 seafarers were stranded aboard 94 vessels in Ukrainian ports. 10 vessels subsequently safely departed the Sea of Azov and at the end of July, 2022,84merchant ships remained, with nearly 450 seafarers onboard. This number continues to steadily reduce. Many ships employed local ship keepers to replace crew, and some ships went into cold lay-up, with no crew remaining onboard. In some situations, crew chose to remain onboard.

The first ship to departunder the Black Sea Initiative left Odesa on 1 August 2022.(See links on the right of this pagefor BSI latest news).

Today (early 2023), over 60 merchant vessels, unable to participate in the Black Sea Initiative, remain stranded across the ports of Ukraine.In November 2022, the IMO Council took the decision “encouraging the IMO Secretary-General to continue work on humanitarian efforts to evacuate all stranded ships and seafarers in the conflict area”.The challenge of releasing the 60+ remains ships persists. The IMO Secretary General is actively pursuing all avenues to develop, negotiate and facilitate the safe departure of these vessels. This situation remains a significant challenge and the IMO Secretariat remains focussed on making every effort to facilitate and support the departure of these vessels.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO), jointly wrote in 2022 to the heads of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF); and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to request urgent action wherever feasible to assist in the reprovisioning of the ships concerned with the vital supplies needed by their seafarers. The letters note that, as well as the dangers arising from bombardment, many of the ships concerned now lack food, fuel, fresh water, and other vital supplies.

The IMOSecretariat continues to work with littoral states to encourage and improve regional information sharing and promulgation of information to shipping to aid the safety of navigation and security of shipping.

With regards to humanitarian support for maritime personnel, the IMO Secretariat has been facilitating discussions with Ukrainian ports administrations, charities and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support port workers and seafarers directly impacted by the crisis.

Communications received from Member States and Associate Members

Communications from Member States and Associate Members are available onIMODOCSand are available publiclyhere.

Official UN pages

Black Sea Initiative Joint Coordination Centre: website here.

Website for the UN in Ukraine,including relevant statements from the United Nations,can be accessed here.

United Nations news page on Ukraine: https://news.un.org/en/focus/ukraine

IMO Meetings

Council, 129th session (C 129), 17-21 July 2023: Black Sea update
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 106),2-11 November 2022:updateon the latest developments regarding the successful operation of the Black Sea Initiative.
Council 128th session, 28 November-2 December 2022(C128): update on the current situation,encouraged the Secretary-General to continue to work on humanitarian efforts to evacuate all stranded ships and seafarers in the conflict area, including efforts to expand the Black Sea Initiative to other types of ships and additional ports.
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 105), 20-29 April 2022:MSC Resolution: Actions to facilitate seafarer evacuation
Legal Committee (LEG 109), 21-25 March 2022:Guidance on the impact of the situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov on insurance or other financial security certificates.
Council Extraordinary Session (C ES 35), 10-11March 2022: DownloadCouncil decisions on Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Advice for IMO Member States, seafarers and shipping

IMO isissuing relevantcircular letters (CL series 4524) to provide guidance for Member States, seafarers, shipping companies and other stakeholders:

Circular Letter No.4611/Add.1 (30 August 2022) -Communication from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs -Black Sea Grain Initiative -Procedures for Merchant Vessels - Updated (final version)
Circular Letter No.4611 (9 August 2022)-Communication from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs -Black Sea Grain Initiative - (interim)Procedures for Merchant Vessels - please see Add.1 above
Circular Letter No.4573 (24 May 2022) -Maritime security threat posed by free floating sea mines in theBlack Sea Region
Circular Letter No.4524/Add.3(28 March 2022) -Armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine – Information Reporting Form for Stranded Ships and advice and updates related to maritime security in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov
Circular Letter No.4524/Add.2(31 March 2022) -Ukraine crisis – Harmonization of PSC activities
Circular Letter No.4524/Add.1(14 March 2022) -Ukraine crisis – Security situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov
See Also
Viking River Revenue: Annual, Quarterly, and Historic - Zippia
Circular Letter No.4524(7 March 2022)Ukraine crisis – UNHCR Position on Returns to Ukraine

Flag State information

Contact details for individual maritime authorities by country can be located on the IMOGlobal Integrated Shipping Information System:Click here.

Information reporting form for ships stranded in Ukraine ports and waters

Please use theonline formto submit information on ships stranded in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. This information will be received by the IMO Secretariat Emergency Task Force.

If you are unable to use the internet form, you can use thedownload formto submit information to IMO (please emailetf@imo.org).

Resources and support for seafarers

Seafarers impacted by the situation can request assistance from IMO's Seafarer Crisis Action Team(SCAT) by emailing info@imo.org.
IMO Maritime Knowledge Centre page with information resources for and about seafarers:click here.
Free, confidential, multilingual helpline for seafarers and their families operated by ISWAN:https://www.seafarerhelp.org/[external site]

Seafarers International Relief Fund

The Seafarers International Relief Fund, a central charitable Fund to respond to emergencies affecting seafarers and their families, is now supporting seafarers and their families impacted by the humanitarian disaster caused by the crisis in Ukraine.

Please seeThe Seafarers International Relief Fund (theseafarerscharity.org)(donate now button on thepage).

Media information

News items can be found atthe IMO Media Centre.

Journalists and news agencies can contact media@imo.org.

Media contactfor the JCC in Istanbul: Ms. Ismini Palla, Media and Communications officer, Joint Coordination Centre, +962770996330, palla@un.org.

External resources and information

IMO is not responsible for the content in external websites.

BIMCO:Ukraine - overview of content on BIMCO website

ICMA:Prayer for Peace – ICMA

International Chamber of Shipping:https://www.ics-shipping.org/press-release/russian-and-ukrainian-seafarers-make-up-14-5-of-global-shipping-workforce-according-to-ics/

Intertanko:https://www.intertanko.com/news-desk/newsdeskarticle/security-update-on-instability-in-the-northern-black-sea

Lloyd's Register:https://www.lr.org/en/who-we-are/flag-state-updates-ukraine/

NATO:https://shipping.nato.int/nsc/operations/news/-2022/risk-of-collateral-damage-in-the-north-western-black-sea-2

NAVAREA III warnings inforce:NAVAREA III warnings in force (defensa.gob.es)

UNCTAD: Maritme trade disrupted: The war in Ukraine and its effects on maritime trade logistics (June 2022)

UNCTAD:The impact on trade and development of the war in Ukraine (March 2022)

UK P&I Club:https://www.ukpandi.com/news-and-resources/russia-ukraine-crisis/

Maritime Security and Safety in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov (2024)

FAQs

Is the Sea of Azov safe? ›

2. Issue: Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in late February 2022, commercial vessels have reportedly been struck by projectiles and experienced explosions in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. There have also been reports of moored and drifting naval mines.

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What is the difference between maritime safety and maritime security? ›

Maritime security largely focuses on the protection of vessels and their cargo from external threats such as smuggling and piracy. On the other hand, the goal of maritime safety is to protect people, and in some cases the environment, from naturally-occurring or accidental hazards.

What city is under the Black Sea? ›

Remains of the sunken city of Akra were discovered in the 1980s, according to the Russian Geological Society. The city enjoyed trade from both land and sea due to its excellent location on the strait. But the waters of the Black Sea rose in the 3rd century B.C.E., causing many residents to abandon the area.

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Is the Black Sea a war zone? ›

The Black Sea has been a hub for global connections and clashes for centuries. Among all the maritime spaces in the world, the highest number of wars—including the ongoing conflict between Russian and Ukraine—have occurred in the Black Sea since the end of the Cold War.

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Why is America under maritime law? ›

American admiralty and maritime law originally developed from British admiralty courts present in American colonies which operated separate from courts of law and equity. Through the Judiciary Act of 1789, the U.S. Congress placed admiralty and maritime law under the jurisdiction of the federal district courts.

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What does a Maritime Security officer do? ›

The Maritime Security Officer - Port Security will secure premises and personnel by patrolling property; monitoring surveillance equipment; inspecting buildings, equipment, and access points.

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What does Maritime Security do? ›

Maritime security is a general term for the protection of vessels both internally and externally. The areas from which ships and maritime operations need protecting include terrorism, piracy, robbery, illegal trafficking of goods and people, illegal fishing and pollution.

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Why does Russia want the Sea of Azov? ›

Control of the western shore of the Sea is vital to the economy of Ukraine but it is also of immense strategic importance to Russia, as a land route to Crimea as well as it is for passage by Russian marine traffic.

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What is the Sea of Azov known for? ›

With a maximum depth of only about 46 feet (14 m), the Azov is the world's shallowest sea. Vast quantities of silt are brought down by the Don and Kuban rivers, so that in the Taganrog Gulf in the northeast, the sea's depth is 3 feet (1 m) or less.

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Does the Sea of Azov freeze over? ›

Citations. ... The Sea of Azov freezes during cold season. According to average long-term data, ice forms in the Sea of Azov at the end of November, ice cover reaches its maximum by February, and complete clearing of ice occurs at the end of March [5, 20] . ...

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