Thousands of sailors are stuck in Ukrainian waters

2,000 sailors are stuck in Ukrainian waters. Due to the potential blockade of the port in Odessa by Russian armed forces, the situation of sailors on ships is increasingly dangerous.

On Monday morning, there were about 100 merchant ships in Ukrainian waters, which means a decline of more than 50% from the beginning of the invasion, which began 13 days ago. Since the beginning of the conflict, all Ukrainian ports have been closed and berthing ships cannot leave the country. The embassies and consulates work around the clock to get the crew that suffered from the conflict out of the country.

Last week, the Joint Negotiation Group and the International Federation of Transport Workers designated areas in the Black Sea and the Azov Sea as a Zone of War Operations, which entails an increased level of security and other powers for seafarers in the war zone.

28 crew members of the Banglar Samriddhi bulk ship who survived the rocket attack, resulting in their colleague's death, arrived in Bucharest on the weekend. Filipino diplomats coordinate repatriation of many crew members, including 21 people on board the S-Breeze bulk ship, which undergoes repairs at the Odessa shipyard.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zieleński warned on Sunday that Russia was preparing to bomb Odessa. Russian naval forces and helicopters were spotted near the city coast.

Russian troops continue bombing another port city, Mariupola on the Azov Sea, where conditions are tragic – residents have no electricity, heating or communication.

So far, we have reported five attacks on merchant ships on our portal since the start of the war on February 23rd, with only one sailor dead.

The State Border Service of Ukraine released a video on Saturday, showing how crews are evacuated from the port of Oden, located about 15 km east of downtown Odessa. Less than 40 crew members from four international ships were evacuated, including Greeks, Filipinos, and Romanians.

According to BIMCO data from last year, 198 123 (10.5%) seamen are Russians, and in Ukraine there are 76,442 (4%).

In a situation where the movement of crew outside Ukraine is impossible and becomes increasingly difficult logistically also for Russians, shipowners began asking their workers at sea to extend their current contracts to fill staff gaps.

Many Ukrainian crews around the world want to finish their contracts early to come home and fight. Moreover, given that men aged between 18 and 60 cannot leave Ukraine and airports and ports are closed, there is no chance of replacing returning countrymen.

A group of Intertanko oil tankers lobbyists began a dialogue with Kiev to ensure that sailors were considered key workers, allowing them to avoid military service.

Russian crews can still be sent to work on ships via Istanbul and Dubai airports, and salaries can be paid through many international banks.

Written by MD