Liberian Bulker Lady Maris Set on Fire by Russian Drone off Chornomorsk in Wave of Overnight Attacks

The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Lady Maris (45,600 DWT, built 2001) was set ablaze by a Russian drone while underway toward the port of Chornomorsk on the night of April 13–14, the Ukrainian Navy confirmed. The vessel was inbound to load corn at the terminal.

The attack was also reported by maritime security firm Ambrey Analytics. The fire's extent and current status of the vessel have not been fully disclosed, but images surfacing suggest that the fire has been extinguished, and the crew was not injured, the authorities said.

The strike on Lady Maris formed part of a broader wave of Russian drone attacks overnight. A second vessel (a Panama-flagged civilian ship) was damaged at the port of Izmail on the Danube River in the same attack wave, along with a berth, a barge, port equipment, and a service station building. A

Chornomorsk, in Ukraine's Odesa region, serves as a primary loading terminal for Ukrainian grain exports. The port and vessels transiting the Ukrainian maritime corridor have been subject to repeated Russian strikes in recent months as part of an ongoing campaign against Ukraine's export logistics.

Investigation into the full extent of damage to Lady Maris is ongoing. No independent investigation authority has been announced.