The tanker’s crew was later rescued, officials said, but searches were still being conducted for sailors from the dry-cargo ships that sank in the area.

Commercial ships are primarily dry-cargo ships, fish-factory ships, and large trawlers.

The total number of dry-cargo ships built in the United States in a 15-year period just before the war was a grand total of two.

Russia and Ukraine were working together to deal with the accidents, but according to news reports, strong winds had caused several more dry-cargo ships to run aground.

The Sovfracht Maritime Bulletin reported the dry-cargo ship has 13 crew members, including eight Russians, and was registered in the Bahamas, RIA Novosti reported.

The Sealift program provides the bulk of the MSC's supply-carrying operation and operates tankers for fuel transport and dry-cargo ships that transport equipment, vehicles, helicopters, ammunition, and supplies.

Rosatomflot, a subsidiary of the state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said six or seven oil tankers and several dry-cargo ships are slated through the so-called Northern passage next year, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reports.