Cargo and tanker operators transiting the Black Sea have adopted improvised anti-drone measures including water-filled containers, tyre barriers and netting slung over hulls to mitigate rising drone and missile threats.
The makeshift defences have been observed on multiple vessels in recent weeks. On August 11, the Sierra Leone-flagged crude tanker Caruzo passed through the Bosphorus strait with water tanks suspended from its stern. On August 27, the Russian-flagged Khrizopraz transited with tyres draped over its hull. Earlier, crude tankers Brisk and Integrator were noted carrying so-called cope cages—netting structures intended to deflect explosive drones from superstructures.
Maritime security firm Dryad Global said the countermeasures can be effective against smaller drones but offer limited protection against larger military-grade systems. 'These tools can be effective for some of the smaller types of drones but when you look at the bigger military types of drones these tools may not be as effective, or in some cases, effective at all,' said Corey Ranslem, chief executive of Dryad Global.
The escalation follows intensified strikes on maritime infrastructure linked to Russian oil and grain exports. Ukraine has targeted vessels and ports facilitating Russian energy and agricultural shipments, while Russia has increased missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian grain hubs including Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi. Several damaged ships, including the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Great Ocean, have arrived at the Bosphorus under coast guard escort in recent weeks.
The conflict has disrupted global grain supplies, particularly affecting African importers. Turkey, which mediated a 2022 Black Sea grain export deal that Russia withdrew from in 2023, has proposed a plan to restore safe passage and is discussing it with both sides. Russia has stated it sees no grounds to resume the agreement due to unresolved issues regarding its own food and fertilizer exports.
Turkey summoned Ukraine’s ambassador to Ankara over the weekend following reported attacks on two vessels near the Russian port of Tuapse. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia was making progress in the war, while Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called for urgent solutions to global grain shortages on Wednesday. Ukraine’s grain exports via the Black Sea reached nearly 33 million metric tons under the 2022 deal before its collapse.
