The Swiss-headquartered container line MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co, the world's largest, has suspended accepting bookings for cargo deliveries to and from Novorossiysk, Bloomberg reported. The decision came after one of its vessels was attacked by a drone.
According to a notice circulated by the company, the container ship MSC ULSAN III, which was en route to Novorossiysk, came under attack. MSC asked clients to contact its Russian representative office to discuss alternative routes for their cargo until conditions allow the resumption of weekly sailings to the Russian Black Sea port.
An employee at the company's St. Petersburg office confirmed to Bloomberg that the Novorossiysk office is currently not operating. The company did not specify when the incident involving the MSC ULSAN III occurred. According to data from the Starboard Maritime Intelligence service, reviewed by The Insider, the container ship left Istanbul on August 22 and was sailing along Turkey's Black Sea coast toward Novorossiysk. On August 25, the vessel was traveling along the coast of Abkhazia when it abruptly turned around and headed back.
MSC reduced its presence in Russia in 2022, after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but continues to provide international shipping for certain categories of goods, such as food, clothing and medicines. The company has several offices in Russia, including in St. Petersburg.
Since July, drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Black and Azov Seas have become more frequent. As of August 21, at least four cargo ships heading to Novorossiysk had been attacked. On the night of August 1, after an attack by Ukrainian naval drones 200 km from Novorossiysk in the Black Sea, the container ship Yania of the Fesco company sank. Up to 30% of Russia's import container cargo passed through Novorossiysk, according to the head of a major logistics company.