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Two Greek-operated tankers attacked by drones this week

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Greece tells shipping fleet to update security measures

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War insurance costs up for ships sailing to Black Sea

(Updates with latest advisory in paragraphs 1 and 4)

By Renee Maltezou, Yannis Souliotis and Jonathan Saul

ATHENS, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Greece has warned ‌its

shipping fleet to upgrade security measures to the highest

possible when sailing to Russian Black Sea ports after drone

attacks ​on two Greek-operated tankers this week, according to

shipping ministry advisories.

Drones struck two ‍oil tankers on Tuesday, including one

chartered by U.S. oil major ⁠Chevron, as they ⁠sailed towards the

marine terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) on

Russia's Black Sea coast.

Greek-operated ships are among the ‌world's largest fleets of

tankers and are pivotal ​for trade across the Black Sea region,

whose waters are shared by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and

Turkey, as well as warring Russia and Ukraine, ⁠which Moscow

invaded in February 2022.

"It is ‍recommended that ​all Greek ships that are either

docked or anchored or are about to dock at the terminal in

question take the highest possible security measures. These

measures ‍include avoiding being outside the ship," the shipping

ministry said in a document released on Thursday and seen by

Reuters.

In earlier documents released this week, after the attacks,

the ministry recommended that the security managers of shipping

companies and Greek ships proceed with an updated threat

assessment for vessels located in the Black Sea and the maritime

areas ​close to ‍it.

War insurance costs for ships sailing to the Black Sea have

jumped this week, reflecting the worsening risk environment.

One of the tankers targeted on ​Tuesday, Matilda, was managed

by Greece's Thenamaris and hit by two drones.

While there were no injuries or serious damage to the

vessel, a Thenamaris official said the company had since

stepped up additional precautionary security measures and

advised crew on their vessels to increase vigilance and avoid

unnecessary exposure, mainly movement on the deck.

In its previous advisories, the ministry also referred

shipping companies to ​a document it published in April 2022 that

recommended additional protective security measures be

maintained for a certain period as a result of increased risk

for the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk, Taman, Tuapse

and Kavkaz.