Black Sea Overtakes Gulf as Deadliest Waters for Seafarers This Year

The Black Sea has become the most dangerous body of water for seafarers in 2026, with more deaths recorded there than in any other waters, the Financial Times reported, citing shipowners and maritime organisations. The toll exceeds that of the Gulf, which has drawn far more global attention.

Crews aboard oil tankers, cargo ships and grain carriers that enter the Black Sea, close to EU and NATO territory, face the threat of drone attacks. Some estimates suggest the number of attacks there is more than six times higher than in the Gulf.

Data from the maritime security firm Ambrey and the International Maritime Organisation show that more than 570 ships have been targeted in the Black Sea this year. At least 40 seafarers have been killed as a result. By comparison, 24 deaths have been confirmed in the Strait of Hormuz.

Some vessels were caught in the crossfire when ports came under bombardment, while others were deliberately targeted. Ambrey notes that the third quarter of the year saw an average of more than four attacks every day.

The risks have alarmed those who work in the industry. Oleh Hryhoriuk, chair of the Marine Transport Workers' Trade Union of Ukraine, put it bluntly: "For me, the Black Sea and calling [at] Ukrainian ports is near suicidal."

Economic pressures are shaping how shipping companies respond. Record-high freight rates have persuaded some firms to accept the danger of carrying oil from the Middle East. In the Black Sea, however, shipping groups say most operators are unwilling to send their fleets, because profit margins are lower and the risks of trading there are considerably greater.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu has said that Russia is turning the Black Sea into a danger zone for civilian vessels.