Russia temporarily bans night navigation in Novorossiysk port
Russia has imposed a temporary ban on ship entry and exit from the port of Novorossiysk at night, fearing attacks by Ukrainian drones.
Russian authorities have introduced a temporary ban on vessels entering and leaving the port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai from 00:00 to 05:00, according to information published by Reuters on Wednesday, July 22, citing three sources in the grain industry.
The sources said the order was oral and no official document was sent to shippers. According to them, the port operates normally except for night hours, and grain loading has not been affected. Russia's Transport Ministry and the port administration did not respond to requests for comment.
Novorossiysk is Russia's largest port by cargo turnover, handling up to a third of Russian grain exports. On July 11, Russia suspended navigation through the Kerch Strait and the Azov-Don Canal after Ukrainian Armed Forces attacks on tankers in the Sea of Azov.
A July 17 order by Russia's Transport Ministry banned ships from anchoring in areas not protected by air defense near the ports of Azov (Sea of Azov) and Kavkaz (Kerch Strait). Novorossiysk is a likely destination for grain intended for export and redirected from the Sea of Azov. Oil, metals, and container cargo are also shipped there.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported, citing two sources, that the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal near Novorossiysk had to stop receiving supplies via pipeline because tanker companies were afraid to send their vessels to the facility. On July 19, the CPC terminal was attacked by Ukrainian drones, hitting tankers flying flags of Liberia and the Marshall Islands with international crews.
Threats of drone strikes in Novorossiysk and other cities in the region are announced almost daily.
