NNPC Marine Insurance continues to monitor developments affecting maritime operations in Ukraine and the wider Black Sea region. While the security environment remains volatile, Ukrainian ports have continued to operate although with limited number of foreign vessels entering Ukrainian ports due to security concerns.
Over the past years multiple attacks were reported against port infrastructure and vessels in the Odessa region and surrounding Black Sea areas. These incidents, primarily involving drones and missile strikes, have resulted in damage to vessels, port facilities and cargo, as well as injuries to crew and port personnel. Vessels have also been affected by operational disruptions due to equipment failure in the ports and the risks of mines.
We summarize the post important developments as follows:
- Access to ports: Despite risks, key Ukrainian ports, including Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, continue to operate under enhanced security procedures. Many port operations are conducted under military control, requiring prior coordination with authorities and, in practice, acceptance of specific risk acknowledgements before entry. Cargo operations may be suspended at short notice due to air raid alerts, and restrictions such as curfews, controlled pilotage and limited anchorage use remain in place. Other ports remain closed due to occupation or proximity to hostilities. We note that the entire region remains classified as an excluded area.
- Sanctions: Sanctions continue to play a critical role in the operational landscape. Compliance requirements remain strict, particularly in relation to cargo origin, counterparties and financial transactions. Vessels with prior calls to ports in occupied territories may face detention or other enforcement. Financial restrictions may also affect the processing of claims and payments, especially where parties are connected to sanctioned or occupied regions.
- Government guarantees: The Ukrainian government has issued a decree pursuant to which the government has undertaken under certain circumstances to compensate owners for the loss of, or damage to, a vessel as well as pollution, crew or cargo as a result of military action.
- Crew risks: Crew-related considerations are considerable even without the vessel trading to Ukraine. Ukrainian crew face difficulty coming from or going to the Ukraine and the repatriation and treatment of seafarer is also complicated in part due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace and the safety risks on the ground in many areas. This may require routing via neighbouring countries and in some cases arranging medical treatment elsewhere.
In conclusion, operations in the region remain subject to heightened risk, regulatory complexity and potential disruption. Members considering trading in the Black Sea are advised to proceed with caution and avoid the listed areas if all possible.
NNPC Marine Insurance will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates as appropriate. If you have any questions, we invite you to contact us at claims@nnpc-marine.com.
