World’s largest container shipping company suspends Novorossiysk bookings after drone attack, Bloomberg reports
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MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world's largest container shipping company, has halted new bookings to and from Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after one of its vessels was hit by a drone, Bloomberg reported.
The suspension took effect immediately following an attack on the MSC ULSAN III as the vessel was traveling toward Novorossiysk, according to a notice MSC sent to customers and reviewed by Bloomberg. It is unclear when the attack took place.
MSC operates a fleet with a total capacity of 7 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), according to media reports, making it the first shipping line in history to reach that capacity threshold. A TEU is the shipping industry’s standard measure of container capacity, based on one standard 20-foot-long container.
MSC said it was monitoring security conditions and advised customers to contact its Russian office about alternative arrangements for imports and exports while regular weekly service through Novorossiysk remains suspended.
The shipping company has maintained limited operations in Russia despite scaling back its presence following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. International carriers that continue serving Russian ports generally transport goods including food, clothing, and medicine.
MSC is still operating through other Russian ports, including St. Petersburg. An employee at the company's St. Petersburg office confirmed to Bloomberg that its Novorossiysk operations were currently suspended. MSC did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.
Shipping in the Black Sea has faced growing disruption amid an increase in attacks on ports and commercial vessels since July.
