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Cargo ship heading from Russia sustains leak in Sea of Azov, says Russian port agency
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
Home > Headlines > Cargo ship heading from Russia sustains leak in Sea of Azov, says Russian port agency
Quick Summary
A cargo ship from Russia to Turkey leaked in the Sea of Azov. No casualties or pollution occurred, and the cause of the leak is unknown.
Cargo ship heading from Russia sustains leak in Sea of Azov, says Russian por...
LONDON (Reuters) - A Liberia-flagged cargo ship carrying corn from a Russian port to Turkey is trying to stop water leaking in after sustaining a crack in the Sea of Azov earlier this week, Russia's port agency said.
The vessel, Pavel Grabovskiy, was loaded with 2,939 tons of corn. It was sailing to Turkey from the Russian port of Rostov when it contacted Russia's marine rescue centre in Taman, close to the Sea of Azov, on Sunday saying a crack had been discovered on the starboard side, and that water was entering the ballast tank, Russia's state agency for ports, Rosmorport, said in a statement.
Rosmorport's statement, which was issued on Thursday, said water was being pumped out of the damaged ballast tank and additional equipment for water pumping was expected to be delivered.
"There are no casualties, no oil spills, and no pollution of the surrounding waters," Rosmorport said in the statement sent to Reuters on Friday.
It was not clear what had caused the crack in the vessel which was built in 1979, shipping data showed.
The vessel's operator Turkey-based Vi-Za Star Shipping declined to comment on Friday when contacted.
Russia has ordered military divers to inspect ships in its ports, a government letter seen by Reuters showed, after suspected attacks on four oil tankers that visited terminals in recent weeks.
Three oil tankers around the Mediterranean, and another off western Russia, have been damaged by blasts in the last month.
All four had recently called at Russian ports, ship tracking data and shipping sources said.
(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Gleb Stolyarov, Can Sezer and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Key Takeaways
- •Cargo ship carrying corn sustains a leak in the Sea of Azov.
- •The ship Pavel Grabovskiy was en route to Turkey.
- •No casualties or pollution reported, water being pumped out.
- •Cause of the crack in the ship remains unknown.
- •Military divers ordered to inspect ships in Russian ports.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cargo ship heading from Russia sustains leak in Sea of Azov, says Russian port agency
1What cargo was the ship carrying?
The vessel, Pavel Grabovskiy, was loaded with 2,939 tons of corn.
2What actions are being taken in response to the leak?
Water is being pumped out of the damaged ballast tank, and additional equipment for water pumping is expected to be delivered.
3Were there any casualties or environmental concerns?
There are no casualties, no oil spills, and no pollution of the surrounding waters according to Rosmorport.
4What caused the crack in the vessel?
It was not clear what had caused the crack in the vessel, which was built in 1979.
5What recent incidents have affected oil tankers in the region?
Four oil tankers that visited Russian ports have been damaged by blasts in the last month, prompting military divers to inspect ships in the ports.
