The Coastal Safety Authority has temporarily suspended permits for passage through the Dardanelles for vessels heading to Novorossiysk and Ukrainian ports, while routes to Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Turkey operate normally.
On Saturday, August 8, 2026, Turkey imposed restrictions on commercial maritime traffic through the Dardanelles Strait into the Black Sea. The decision followed a series of attacks on merchant vessels in the region, most heavily affecting ships on routes to the Russian port of Novorossiysk and Ukrainian ports.
According to information released by Bloomberg, Turkey's Coastal Safety Authority has informed shipowners that transit permits to Novorossiysk are currently not being issued or are subject to additional checks and delays. Meanwhile, vessels bound for Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Turkey itself pass without any hindrance.
Ankara's decision is a direct consequence of the increasingly dangerous situation for civilian shipping in the Black Sea basin. At least three serious incidents have been recorded in the past two and a half months. The first occurred on May 28 when a Turkish ship was attacked, followed by another attack on a Turkish-flagged vessel on June 22. In both cases, Turkish nationals were injured.
The most recent incident took place on August 4 near Novorossiysk, where a drone struck a ship sailing toward Turkey, injuring three crew members. These events prompted Turkish authorities to demand safe navigation guarantees from Russia and Ukraine.
Although neither side in the conflict has officially commented on Turkey's latest restrictions, Ankara's move comes on the 1,627th day of the war and reflects growing concern over the spillover of military operations into civilian shipping. The Black Sea remains a vital corridor for grain and other commodity exports, and any blockade or transit delays could have serious repercussions for regional trade and supply chains.
For Croatian shipowners and exporters, this situation poses an indirect risk given the interconnectedness of Black Sea routes with Mediterranean ports. While there is no direct blockade affecting Croatian vessels, disruptions in the region could lead to delays and higher costs in maritime transport.
