Drone attacks on two oil tankers in Novorossiysk raise alarms over Black Sea energy shipment security amid ongoing regional conflicts.
Two oil tankers waiting to load at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Russia's Novorossiysk port were attacked by drones. According to a report by Reuters, the attack has raised concerns about the security of energy shipments in the Black Sea.
The Delta Harmony tanker, operated by the Greek company Delta Tankers, was scheduled to load oil from the Tengiz field. It was reported that the other vessel attacked by drones, the Matilda tanker, is operated by the Greek company Thenamaris and was planned to load oil from the Karachaganak field.
A spokesperson for Thenamaris confirmed that the Matilda vessel was hit by two drones while it was in ballast water 30 miles off the CPC. The company representative stated, 'According to initial assessments, no one was injured. There were minor damages that can be repaired to the vessel's deck structures. Although the ship is seaworthy, it is currently leaving the area.'
Two maritime security sources reported that a fire broke out on the ship but was quickly extinguished. It was noted that CPC representatives refrained from commenting on the attack.
The attack occurred at a critical time for energy supply security in the region. The CPC terminal, from which approximately 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports are made, transports oil to the Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal near Russia's Novorossiysk port. Previously, on November 29, a drone belonging to Ukraine struck one of CPC's three main buoys, leading to a decline in Kazakhstan's oil exports and production.
According to a source familiar with the data, Kazakhstan's oil and gas condensate production fell by 35% from the mid-December average between January 1-12 due to export restrictions at the Black Sea terminal. The Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy also announced on Tuesday that oil exports through CPC were continuing via a single buoy. The recent attacks indicate that the pressure of the Russia-Ukraine war on commercial shipping in the Black Sea and global energy corridors is increasing.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
