The route less taken: Irregular migration in the Black Sea region

The Black Sea is difficult to cross and the surrounding countries are not amongst the favoured destination countries for migrants. Still, attempts are still undertaken and the implications for merchant trade must be taken into account. Image: New Indian Express

19 July 2021

Reports on irregular migrants attempting to reach western Europe tend to focus on routes across and around the Mediterranean. However, other routes such as the one across the Black Sea are also used but vastly under-reported, yet the negative implications and impact of this traffic on commercial logistics operations are no less than for other routes and a future surge can not be ruled out.

By Hans-Kristian Pedersen, Europe and Black Sea analyst.

Irregular migration - in this case relating to attempts to reach the European continent and in particular European Union Member States - is often grabbing headlines. But the reporting focus is mostly on the numerous attempts at crossing the Mediterranean from North African shores to Italian or Greek islands. And though crossing the Mediterranean accounts for the most attempts, there are other lesser reported routes, which present the same security concerns to normal shipping and logistics operations.

One such route is crossing the Black Sea. Though irregular migration is assessed as occurring at a lesser rate than across the Mediterranean, it cannot be discarded.

Poverty, unemployment, corruption, conflict, and political instability are all factors that ‘push’ humans to migrate – and the Black Sea region is no different. Additionally, possibilities for regular migration are limited, further adding to the push towards irregular migration. It is worth noting that the nationalities of migrants seeking the Black Sea route are not limited to the countries in the region but includes a wider spectrum of irregular migrants – as also seen elsewhere.

Significant impact on commercial operations

Previous incidents underline how irregular migration and stowaways can have a significant negative impact on operations. The 2017 KAUNAS Seaways ferry incident is a case in point. The migrant stowaways were believed to have initially boarded the ferry in Turkey while hiding in a trailer, which was then loaded on to the ferry.

As the situation unfolded, with no initial possibility to disembark the migrants, Turkey and Ukraine both refusing to take them, DFDS had to keep the migrants in cabins under guard and separate from crew and passengers. The incident took three months to be resolved, with some violent and aggressive episodes reported in the interim. Though this incident is unique, it illustrates the possible complications to logistics operations posed by irregular migration.

Organised crime elements and people smugglers are known to operate in the region and known to also be involved in facilitating and or enabling the transportation of irregular migrants. The modus operandi varies but does include stealing vehicles or vessels, conspiring with drivers to facilitate transportation via regular logistics routes and smuggling migrants onto into regular transport vehicles and vessels, without driver involvement.

A future surge can not be ruled out

Generally, irregular migration routes depend on where authorities increase their focus. Therefore, routes such as crossing the Black Sea, and attempts to access Western European countries via Eastern European countries, become more popular when authorities increase their focus on apprehending irregular migration in the Mediterranean Sea or following an increased focus on border control in Western European first entry countries.

The impact of irregular migration is assessed as less of a concern to maritime operations in the Black Sea, when compared to the Mediterranean – though assessed as higher when considering land-based logistics operations. Overall, the likelihood of encountering irregular migration is increased when irregular migrant flows increase. As previously mentioned, various factors influence which migration routes are the most prevalent. A future surge in irregular migration in the Black Sea region can therefore not be ruled out.

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