Key Turkish shipowner ends cooperation with Russia due to growing risks
FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows the oil tanker named Boracay (also called Pushpa), a vessel being investigated by French authorities and suspected of belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet" involved in the Russian oil trade, off the coast of the western France port of Saint-Nazaire, France, October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo
Turkish company Besiktas Shipping, which owns the tanker Mersin, damaged after explosions off the coast of Senegal, has announced the suspension of all operations related to Russia. The company said it will no longer operate flights related to the aggressor country.
This is reported by Reuters.
Besiktas Shipping explained that it had always complied with international sanctions and G7 and EU price restrictions, but the situation in the region had deteriorated sharply. After a risk assessment, the company decided that the danger to its vessels and crew members had become unacceptable.
Besiktas Shipping is one of the largest tanker owners in Turkey, with a fleet of 29 vessels. Meanwhile, Turkey’s General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said the Russian tanker Midvolga 2 was also attacked about 80 miles off the country’s coast. The vessel was en route from Russia to Georgia and was carrying sunflower oil.
It was previously reported that near Dakar, the capital of Senegal, the Mersin oil tanker, which was transporting diesel fuel and has ties to Russia, suffered four external damages.
As a reminder, two tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet, which are under international sanctions, exploded in the Black Sea.
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