According to Reuters, citing three grain industry sources, authorities have temporarily banned vessels from entering or leaving the port of Novorossiysk between midnight and 5 a.m. local time because of the threat of Ukrainian drone strikes, News.Az reports, citing RBC-Ukraine.
The sources said the order was delivered verbally, with no formal government document issued, while the port continues operating normally during daytime hours. Grain exports have not been affected by the overnight restrictions, they added.
***
Novorossiysk is Russia’s busiest port by cargo volume and handles roughly one-third of the country’s grain exports. It also serves as a major hub for oil shipments, metals and containerized cargo.
The reported nighttime restrictions follow earlier limits on vessel traffic in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, reflecting growing efforts by Moscow to protect critical maritime infrastructure from increasingly frequent Ukrainian drone attacks.
On July 21, Russian authorities also prohibited ships from docking in areas without air defense protection at the ports of Azov and Kavkaz, further tightening security around key export routes.
Novorossiysk is expected to receive additional grain shipments redirected from ports in the Sea of Azov, making its uninterrupted operation increasingly important for Russian exports.
Following reports of the nighttime shipping restrictions, September wheat futures on the Euronext exchange climbed 4.5%, highlighting market concerns over potential disruptions to grain supplies.
The Black Sea port has repeatedly been targeted during the war.
In April, a nighttime Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at a Transneft facility in Novorossiysk that services some of Russia’s largest oil tankers.
The latest restrictions come as Russia’s average monthly oil exports have fallen to their lowest level in eight months, largely due to the prolonged shutdown of the Sheskharis oil terminal in Novorossiysk, underscoring the growing economic impact of attacks on Russia’s energy and export infrastructure.
