A ship hit by a Russian missile at a Ukraine port over the weekend was not part of any military activity and was due to load a cargo of Ukrainian grain, its managers said.
Piraeus-based AK Shipping confirmed the ship struck early on Sunday in Yuzhny was the 6,273-dwt general cargo ship Paresa (built 1992).
TradeWinds had reported earlier that the Russian defence ministry confirmed its forces struck an unidentified vessel in Yuzhny with an Iskander M-type missile.
The ship suffered “significant damage [but] luckily, no crew members were injured,” AK Shipping said.
Company managers vehemently denied Russian claims that their vessel was carrying ammunition into Ukraine and was therefore a legitimate military target.
According to AK Shipping, the Paresa arrived ballasting to Yuzhny on 30 September and began loading corn one day later.
The Vessel Tracker website indicates the Paresa docked there after a short voyage from the port of Sulima in Romania.
“Unfortunately, on Sunday, at 2 am local time, the vessel was hit by a Russian missile in hold number 2,” the company managers said.
AK Shipping also provided documents showing the Paresa was fixed to carry Ukrainian grain from Yuzhnzy/Pivdennyi in October on behalf of Swiss clients.
TradeWinds had earlier geolocated the vessel to a berth adjacent to the TIS Container Terminal in Yuzhny port.
Grainy images from Russian defence ministry drone footage taken just before the vessel was hit match the general outline of the Paresa in online pictures.
The ship’s AIS transponder stopped broadcasting at 8.59 am Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on Saturday.
The vessel docked immediately behind the Paresa, the 7,400-dwt general cargo ship Haje Hesen (built 1997), continued to broadcast its position as being alongside the container berth in Yuzhny early on Monday.
A Sovcomflot past
AK Shipping is linked to Middle Eastern interests.
According to S&P Global data, AK Shipping manages a fleet of 13 small general cargo ships and container ships, plus two handysize bulkers.
The Paresa was acquired as Helena in February.
Ironically, the St Kitts & Nevis-registered ship was previously classed by the Russian Register until it shifted to the non-IACS Dromon Bureau of Shipping on delivery to Paresa Shipping in February.
The vessel spent its first 12 years under Sovcomflot ownership and traded as the Socofl Trust.
The Haje Hesen is listed by S&P Global and VesselsValue as the only ship managed by Marshal Islands-registered Umi Agri Carriers, but TradeWinds was unable to find the company’s contact details.
