Greek Ship in ZIM Service Sunk in Black Sea After Unmanned Vessel Attack

A Greek container ship chartered by ZIM Integrated Shipping Services was sunk in the Black Sea on Wednesday after being struck by unmanned surface vessels (USVs) off the coast of Bulgaria. The vessel, the CONTSHIP JET, was en route from Haifa's Bayport to Constanta, Romania, carrying 421 containers under the Liberian flag. Bulgarian authorities confirmed the incident, stating they received a warning about the attack, likely related to the Russia-Ukraine war, but could not prevent it. Dramatic footage shows one of the attacking vessels approaching the ship just before impact. The attack occurred within Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone but outside its territorial waters. All 18 crew members, 14 from the Philippines and four from Ukraine, were rescued and safely brought to the port of Varna, Bulgaria. While the ship's connection to Israel is not believed to be the reason for the attack, the perpetrator remains unknown, heightening concerns about the war's impact on commercial shipping in the region. This incident is the latest in a series of attacks on vessels in the western Black Sea this month, with at least six ships reportedly attacked by drones and USVs off Bulgaria, resulting in approximately 25 casualties. ZIM stated that the small chartered vessel, not owned by the company, sustained damage, but the expected financial loss is minimal. The company is arranging an alternative ship to maintain service for its clients. The Chairman of the ZIM Workers Committee, Oren Caspi, emphasized the need to maintain ZIM's Israeli identity amidst boycotts and security threats, noting that details of the attack are still being investigated. Bulgaria's strategic Black Sea location makes it a key area for Russian and Ukrainian ports, and drone and USV incidents have become increasingly frequent in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea, with at least 45 merchant ships attacked in the past year in previously low-risk areas.