Greece demands protection of shipping in the Black Sea at the UN level
30.10.2026 - 09:43
The call came hours after a Greek container ship sank off the coast of Bulgaria.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for a global maritime ceasefire, Reuters reported.
The statement came hours after a Greek container ship sank off the Bulgarian coast after being hit by naval drones.
Mitsotakis was speaking at a high-level debate at the UN Security Council on new technologies and maritime security, which took place in the final days of Greece’s presidency of the council.
“Attacks on civilian merchant ships are completely unacceptable. This is another reminder of the urgent need for a global maritime ceasefire,” he said.
According to the prime minister, merchant ships must be able to move safely and freely, even in times of conflict. Violation of freedom of navigation increases transportation and insurance costs, creates uncertainty in global markets and ultimately affects prices for consumers.
As a reminder, on October 28, three maritime drones hit the container ship Contship Jet in the exclusive economic zone of Bulgaria. The ship flies the flag of Liberia, but is owned and operated by Greece. The container ship completely sank on the night of October 29.
All 18 crew members were rescued, including four Ukrainians. The ship was carrying 421 containers of fuel and other dangerous goods, about 20 of which fell overboard.
