Commercial ships have been sunk and sailors killed or left missing as attacks intensify across the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea. The International Maritime Organisation has recorded 113 confirmed maritime incidents in the wider Hormuz region since the Middle East conflict began on 28 February, with 24 seafarers killed, according to figures updated on 14 October.
The deteriorating security situation includes drone attacks in the Black Sea that are moving closer to the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, both NATO members. Those attacks threaten commercial routes used to transport grain, oil and other commodities.
Cyprus, which operates one of the world’s major ship registries and hosts an extensive network of ship-management companies, is among the shipping centres weighing the effect on vessel operations, crew safety, insurance costs and the cost of international trade.