- The movements of merchant and cargo ships are being scrutinized amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- BBC News reported Saturday that France stopped a cargo ship en route to Russia's St Petersburg.
- On Friday, a tanker crew had to abandon ship after reportedly being hit by a Russian missile.
The movements and activities of merchant and cargo ships are under renewed scrutiny as the Ukraine invasion continues.
BBC News reported Saturday that the French Navy had intercepted a cargo ship in the English Channel that was bound for St Petersburg, Russia.
French border forces are inspecting the cargo to establish whether it belongs to a company targeted by EU sanctions against Moscow, the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, merchant ships are increasingly becoming the target of Russian missiles, The Maritime Executive reported.
In one incident on Friday, the crew of a small chemical tanker was forced to abandon ship with two seriously injured, the outlet reported. It cited a tweet from Ukraine's OSINT Academy.
The secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Kitack Lim, is urging "all parties to take steps to ensure" safe passage across the seas.
Lim told Insider he supports and stands with UN secretary-general António Guterres' call for hostilities to cease immediately. He added: "I am gravely concerned about the spillover effects of the military action in Ukraine on global shipping, and logistics and supply chains."
"Along with the people of Ukraine, innocent ships, seafarers and port workers engaged in legitimate trade should not be adversely impacted by this growing crisis. Shipping, particularly seafarers, cannot be collateral victims in a larger political and military crisis — they must be safe and secure," Lim said.
Russia was seen sailing into the Black Sea earlier in February, bringing military power closer to Ukraine, Insider reported.
Russia's Ministry of Defense had said the ships were moving into the area to "work out the actions of the Navy and Aerospace Forces to protect Russian national interests in the world ocean."
In a statement issued on the IMO's website, on Friday, Lim said: "The security situation in Ukraine is impacting trade by sea. The safety of marine personnel including seafarers is vital. Shipping is essential to global trade — as has been proven during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added: "I urge all parties to take steps to ensure the protection of seafarers, vessels, and cargo."
According to The Wall Street Journal on Friday, the most serious incident since Russia invaded Ukraine was reported by Moldova's national naval agency. A missile hit a commercial oil tanker in the Black Sea, destroying the ship's lifeboats and forcing the crew to jump overboard.
Reuters reported that insurers have raised their rates for vessels operating in the Black Sea, which would mean additional costs of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a ship voyage, the agency said.
Lim issued a statement on Thursday, following Russia's entry into Ukraine. "The use of force by one country against another is the repudiation of the principles that every country has committed to uphold. This applies to the present military offensive," it said.
He added: "It is wrong. It is against the Charter. It is unacceptable. But it is not irreversible. I repeat my appeal from last night to President Putin: Stop the military operation. Bring the troops back to Russia. We know the toll of war."
