Turkish owner halts Russian trade after explosions flood tanker Mersin off Dakar

The Panama-flagged tanker Mersin was hit by four external explosions while at anchor off Dakar, Senegal, on 27 November, flooding its engine room, Euronews reports. The crew were safe and no one claimed responsibility. Owner Besiktas Shipping, which runs 29 tankers, said it was ending all Russia-related operations because the risks to its ships and crews had become untenable. According to the report, the ship had made at least 13 calls at Russian ports in 2025.

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