Container shipping disruptions in the Black Sea are increasing as more carriers suspend calls to Russian ports following recent attacks on commercial vessels. Turkish carriers Arkas and Akkon Lines have now suspended calls to all Russian ports . Their decisions follow earlier suspensions of Novorossiysk calls by MSC and FESCO . Akkon suspends all Russian calls Akkon’s suspension comes after the 1,100 TEU RMS Team was hit by a drone while sailing towards Novorossiysk on 21 August. The vessel caught fire and the crew abandoned ship. One seafarer was reported missing. RMS Team was later towed to Samsun in Turkey and has since been declared a constructive total loss. Akkon initially substituted St. Petersburg as an alternative Russian gateway. However, its wider suspension means that option is no longer available. Arkas has also suspended calls to all Russian ports. Alternative routes remain available Some Russian operators continue to offer alternative connections, according to local reports. Ametist, Marmed, M-Line and United Shipping are using a combined St. Petersburg-rail-Novorossiysk option. Meanwhile, Verim is offering an alternative connection via Georgia. These arrangements allow cargo to move through alternative gateways while direct Black Sea services face disruption. Security concerns grow in Black Sea The RMS Team incident was one of several recent attacks or attempted attacks involving commercial vessels in the region. Two small conventional Ro-Ro vessels were also targeted within a day of each other towards the end of August. The growing security concerns have prompted Turkey’s president to call for a permanent safety mechanism for Black Sea shipping. Such an arrangement could potentially follow elements of the earlier Black Sea Grain Initiative. In the meantime, some vessels transiting the Bosporus have reportedly adopted temporary protection measures. These include tyres and water tanks placed along vessel sides as protection against seaborn