Paresa Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On October 9, 2023, a series of ballistic missile strikes launched by Russia targeted crucial infrastructures at the port of Chornomorsk, just a few kilometers from Odessa. This aggressive act resulted in the tragic deaths of six individuals, injured 11 others, and inflicted significant damage on the merchant vessel 'Shui Spirit', as per Ukrainian government officials. This attack marks the third incident affecting commercial maritime interests in Ukrainian Black Sea ports within a mere four days, bringing the total to five merchant ships affected by Russian military actions in the last month. Prior to the October 9 incident, Russian forces struck the cargo vessel 'Optima' on October 7 while it was docked in a different port within the Greater Odessa region. This assault led to the death of a port worker and left five members of the ship's crew injured. Additionally, on October 6, an Iskander M missile hit the 'Paresa' ship in the port of Yuzhny, causing substantial damage but fortunately resulting in no casualties among the crew. In a controversial statement, Russian authorities claimed that the 'Paresa' was transporting military supplies intended for Ukraine, a claim that AK Shipping, a Greek company managing the vessel, firmly refutes, stating that the ship arrived empty and was set to load corn. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba has characterized these attacks as intentional efforts to intimidate and disrupt operations within the Ukrainian maritime corridor. He emphasized that maritime trade, which had been progressing relatively smoothly since the establishment of the corridor in August 2023, is now under persistent threat from Russian forces. This vital corridor came into existence after Moscow withdrew from a United Nations-mediated initiative and has been critical for Ukraine's economy, facilitating more than 2,500 commercial transits from key ports—including Odesa, Yuzhny/Pivdennyi, and Chornomorsk. Since the corridor's inception, Russia has consistently targeted the port infrastructure at all three terminals, as well as other ports along the Danube. While direct assaults on ships were infrequent until September 2023, such incidents have sharply increased in number. The last reported casualty in the Black Sea prior to these recent attacks occurred in November 2022, when a missile strike claimed the life of the pilot aboard the vessel 'KMax Ruler'. The growing frequency and intensity of these assaults have raised widespread international concern, highlighting the grave implications of Russia's aggression not only towards port infrastructure but also towards merchant vessels navigating these vital waters.

In a tragic incident, the cargo ship 'Paresa' suffered significant damage when it was struck by a Russian missile on October 6, 2024, at 2 a.m. local time. The vessel sank while docked at a berth near the TIS Container Terminal in Yuzhny, situated in Ukraine. The ship, owned by Piraeus-based AK Shipping, was preparing to load a shipment of Ukrainian grain at the time of the attack. According to reports, the ship's AIS transponder ceased operations on October 5 at 08:59 UTC, indicating the suddenness of the incident. The missile that struck the vessel was identified as an Iskander M-type, targeting cargo hold No. 2. Fortunately, no crew members were harmed during the attack. AK Shipping has refuted Russian allegations suggesting that the 'Paresa' was transporting ammunition into Ukraine, which would have rendered it a military target. Prior to the incident, the ship had arrived from Sulina, partially loaded, and began the process of loading corn in bulk on October 1. The 'Paresa' was specifically chartered to transport Ukrainian grain in October to Swiss clients, making this event not only a human tragedy but also a significant disruption to grain supply chains amid ongoing tensions.