Turkey Restricts Black Sea Ship Traffic Amid Drone Attacks

Turkey has implemented temporary restrictions on commercial ship traffic entering the Black Sea, citing heightened security concerns following a series of drone attacks on civilian vessels, including Turkish-owned ships. The measures, reported on August 8 and 9, 2026, come as Ankara pushes for a diplomatic agreement to protect merchant shipping in the vital maritime corridor.

Turkish officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed on August 9 that while some temporary measures had been implemented due to ongoing security discomfort, passage through the straits remained clear under the conditions of the 1936 Montreux Convention. The convention guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels in peacetime and gives Turkey control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. The officials did not provide specific details on the nature of the restrictions.

The restrictions were first reported on August 8, with sources indicating that Turkey's Directorate General of Coastal Safety had informed several ships heading to the Russian port of Novorossiysk that transit permits were not being issued at that time. Some vessels were also reportedly told the restriction applied to ships heading...