Turkiye increasingly unnerved about Black Sea shipping security

Turkish officials are becoming increasingly concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea, particularly as attacks on civilian merchant vessels intensify, according to Turkish newspaper Yeni Şafak. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the conflict has entered a "life-or-death" phase, and parties may be forced to resort to "the last available means." Fidan has proposed a moratorium on attacks, but they have continued unabated, prompting Ankara to restrict commercial shipping in the region.

The Turkish government has taken temporary measures to ensure transit through the Turkish straits, which remain open under the Montreux Convention. However, some ships bound for Russia and Ukraine were reportedly unable to pass through the straits for nearly a week due to "technical reasons." Turkiye's maritime industry source stated that traffic has since returned to normal.

Analysts suggest that Black Sea maritime security requires lasting structural solutions, citing the successful grain corridor and proposals for a bilateral corridor in the Strait of Hormuz as models. One potential solution is establishing two separate safe corridors: one for ships heading to Russia and another for those en route to Ukraine, with both parties agreeing not to target vessels on those routes.