Black Sea Risk: 40 Sailors Dead

Seafarers working the Black Sea now face a higher probability of death than those navigating the Gulf, according to new maritime data. The shift marks a change in global shipping risks, with the Black Sea recording the highest number of fatalities this year.

Data from the maritime security firm Ambrey and the International Maritime Organisation indicates that at least 40 seafarers have been killed in the Black Sea in 2026. By comparison, 24 deaths have been confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz. More than 570 ships have been targeted in the Black Sea since the start of the year.

The threat level in the Black Sea is driven by drone attacks, which some estimates suggest occur at more than six times the frequency seen in the Gulf. Ambrey reported that the third quarter of the year averaged more than four attacks per day. Some vessels were deliberately targeted, while others were caught in the crossfire when ports came under bombardment.

Shipping companies are responding to the danger by altering their routing and pricing strategies. In the Gulf, record high freight rates have encouraged some firms to accept the risks of carrying oil from the Middle East. In the Black Sea, most operators are reluctant to send fleets because profit margins are lower and the trading risks are greater.

Oleh Hryhoriuk, chair of the Marine Transport Workers' Trade Union of Ukraine, described the current conditions as severe. "For me, the Black Sea and calling [at] Ukrainian ports is near suicidal," he said. Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu stated that Russia is turning the Black Sea into a danger zone for civilian vessels.