Russia imposes unofficial nighttime shipping ban at Novorossiysk port, Reuters reports
Photo: The port of Novorossiysk under attack by Ukrainian drones (t.me exilenova_plus)
Russia is trying to protect ships in its southern ports from Ukrainian drone strikes, while publicly asserting that no problem exists, Reuters reports.
Nighttime traffic has been banned in the port of Novorossiysk
Russia has introduced a temporary ban on vessel movements into and out of the port of Novorossiysk. The restrictions apply from midnight until 5:00 a.m. due to the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks, three grain industry sources told Reuters on July 22.
According to the sources, the order was issued verbally, and no official documents have been published.
They said the port continues to operate normally outside the restricted nighttime hours and that grain exports have not been affected.
How the port operates
Novorossiysk is Russia's largest port by cargo volume and handles up to one-third of the country's grain exports.
The ban follows traffic restrictions introduced earlier this month in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.
The port of Novorossiysk is also used to ship oil, metals, and containerized cargo.
A government directive issued on July 21 also banned vessels from docking in areas without air defense protection at the ports of:
- Azov in the Sea of Azov,
- Kavkaz in the Kerch Strait.
Novorossiysk is a likely destination for grain exports redirected from the Sea of Azov. Following reports of the nighttime restrictions, September wheat futures on the Euronext exchange rose by 4.5%, Reuters reported.
Earlier, in April, a nighttime drone attack on Novorossiysk set a Transneft facility on fire. The site services some of Russia's largest oil tankers.
Russia's average monthly oil exports have fallen to their lowest level in eight months, largely due to the prolonged shutdown of the Sheskharis oil terminal in Novorossiysk.
