About 356 ships of various types have been stranded in Ukrainian ports or anchorages since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, including 128 non-Ukrainian-flagged ships, Lloyd’s Daily reported.

Relevant data indicate that the number of ships stranded in Ukrainian ports may be much higher than initially estimated.

According to the report, although some seafarers have been successfully evacuated before, more than 1,000 seafarers from more than 20 countries are still trapped in the war zone. Meanwhile, there is a severe shortage of food and medical supplies on board. 

Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), also said: “Seafarers have become a major victim of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.”

He cited the example of a Romanian ship with 20 sailors left with only three days of supplies, affected by the war in the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.

Guy Platten said: “It is not safe for these seafarers to continue on or leave the ship.

Previously, ICS also warned that the labor shortage in the global shipping market caused by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict would exacerbate global supply chain risks.

Guy Platten said at the time: “The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has had a major impact on the safety of seafarers and shipping in the region. As with the COVID-19 pandemic, the plight of seafarers is not caused by the seafarers themselves or the shipping industry. Several merchant ships have been hit by missiles. The hit resulted in casualties of seafarers. At the same time, seafarers from various countries were stranded on ships berthed in Ukrainian ports and could not be evacuated. ICS strongly supported the establishment of sea lanes to allow the safe evacuation of ships currently unable to leave the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to avoid humanitarian crisis.”