Liberia-Flagged Tanker Banda Refloated Near Istanbul

The Liberia-flagged tanker Banda, measuring 238 meters, has been successfully refloated after running aground in the Black Sea near Istanbul during severe weather, according to a report by InsightsofWave on X. Turkish rescue teams deployed tugboats and an emergency response vessel to free the vessel from the grounding site. The operation was completed successfully, with the ship brought back afloat without further incident reported. Groundings near the entrance to the Bosphorus and surrounding Black Sea waters are not uncommon during periods of severe weather, given the heavy volume of commercial shipping traffic that transits the strait linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Turkish maritime authorities routinely maintain emergency response capabilities, including tugboats and specialized vessels, to address such incidents given the strategic and environmental sensitivity of the waterway. No further details have been released regarding the condition of the Banda, its cargo, or whether any pollution or structural damage resulted from the grounding. Authorities have not indicated when the vessel is expected to resume its voyage or undergo inspection following the incident.