<p data-path-to-node="5">Following a rapid escalation in Black Sea military attacks on commercial shipping that claimed the lives of five Indian seafarers within a single week, India’s <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="179">Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping)</b> has issued an urgent security advisory for all Indian-flagged vessels and foreign-flagged ships employing Indian crew members.</p><p data-path-to-node="6">The maritime regulator instructed shipowners, manning agencies, and master mariners to exercise the "highest degree of caution" and mandate <b data-path-to-node="6" data-index-in-node="140">voyage-specific security risk assessments</b> prior to scheduling transits or port calls anywhere across the Black Sea region.</p><h3 data-path-to-node="8"><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0">Multi-Vessel Strikes and Rising Casualties Trigger Strict Risk Protocols</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9">The security advisory follows severe incidents involving merchant vessels in both Ukrainian and Russian Black Sea waters:</p><ul data-path-to-node="10"><li><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Rising Seafarer Casualties:</b> The advisory was prompted by consecutive fatal strikes in mid-July 2026. A Russian strike off Ukraine’s Port of Odesa on the <i data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="153">MV Golden Leo</i> resulted in the deaths of four Indian crew members, followed closely by a strike on the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier <i data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="293">MV Omorfi</i>, which resulted in another Indian fatality.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Widespread Regional Targeted Attacks:</b> DG Shipping highlighted that at least 10 incidents involving Indian crew members have occurred in the Black Sea since April 2026, including damage to the foreign-flagged tankers <i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="216">MT Asia</i>, <i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="225">MT Louise-1</i>, and <i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="242">MT Nelsa</i> near Novorossiysk.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Diplomatic &amp; MEA Intervention:</b> The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a formal condemnation of targeted attacks on civilian commercial shipping, urging all warring parties to preserve freedom of navigation and adhere to international maritime law.</p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0">Protecting Global Maritime Workforce:</b> With over 320,000 active Indian seafarers supporting international trade, Indian maritime authorities are enforcing stricter risk evaluations, mirroring recent crew protection guidelines issued for the Strait of Hormuz corridor.</p></li></ul>