Crew Member Injured in Drone Attack on Panamanian-flagged Tanker in Ukraine

A crew member was injured in a drone attack on a Panamanian-flagged tanker anchored in a port in Ukraine, the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) reported, renewing its recommendation to avoid transiting Ukrainian and Russian waters in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The AMP renewed its call to vessels under its flag that are in Ukrainian waters and/or Ukrainian ports to comply with specific precautionary measures established by the Government of Ukraine. These include 'conducting a new specific risk and threat assessment for each vessel and each voyage before entering any area where an incident has occurred or the threat has changed.' 'Ukraine continues to record significant impacts as a result of the ongoing conflict, a situation that has led to operational restrictions, including the closure or limitation of activities in several ports of strategic importance, which increases the risk levels for vessels operating or calling at Ukrainian port facilities,' the AMP states. The AMP also reiterates a 2022 advisory that 'recommends all its vessels to take all necessary security measures and avoid transiting Ukrainian and Russian waters in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.' The incident occurred last Tuesday when the unidentified tanker in the AMP's communiqué was struck by a drone while in the anchorage area of Chornomorsk, Ukraine. 'As a result of the incident, one crew member was injured, who was promptly attended to and is in stable condition,' states the official information published by the AMP this Friday with no further details. Panama has 8,722 flagged vessels and 236.8 million gross tons, positioning its merchant fleet as one of the largest in the world. Also 'maintain a full and vigilant watch on the bridge, ensure strict boarding controls are enforced, and verify that all firefighting equipment is available for immediate use, among others.'