The container ship CONTSHIP JET, which was chartered by Zim, sank in the Black Sea in the early hours of October 29. This incident occurred about 12 hours after the ship was attacked by three drones. This event marks the fifth attack on commercial vessels in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in recent weeks.
Details of the Ship Sinking
Zim issued a brief statement confirming that the ship belonged to Contship Management and that all crew members were rescued and are in Bulgaria. The company also stated that the ship is classified as a "small container ship carrying a limited number of containers" and has estimated the anticipated financial damages to be minimal. The company is working to secure a replacement vessel and maintain services to its customers.
Attacks and Their Impact
The CONTSHIP JET, with a capacity of 18,000 doses from 421 containers, sank. Reports indicate that the cargo included lithium-ion batteries, corrosive liquids, acids, and other industrial components. With the sinking of the ship, approximately 20 containers fell into the sea, but Bulgarian authorities confirmed that no signs of pollution from this incident have been observed.
Bulgarian military forces were dispatched to the scene at the time of the ship's sinking. The Chief of Defense of Bulgaria, Admiral Emil Eftimov, stated that his country was on alert and that patrol aircraft were on standby. He also noted that adverse weather conditions had disrupted response operations.
Since summer, the Bulgarian Navy has responded to over 100 reports of drone activity and aerial and maritime debris. Together with Romania and Turkey, the country has condemned the frequent attacks and is working to enhance security in the Black Sea region.
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