Tanker shortages disrupt CPC shipments; 100,000 tons planned for Batumi. Loading at Novorossiysk halted intermittently due to security concerns.
Tanker shortages disrupt CPC shipments: a 100,000-ton delivery is planned for Batumi.
Shipments at the CPC pipeline's marine terminal near Novorossiysk, which carries approximately 1.8% of the world's oil supply, have intermittently halted due to security concerns and the unavailability of tankers. Tengizchevroil plans to transport 100,000 tons of oil by rail to Batumi Port in Georgia in August.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline, which is the main route for Kazakh oil to reach the global market, is facing critical issues not only with physical infrastructure but also with the availability of vessels. According to a Reuters report dated August 5, shipments have been halted several times since mid-July; shipowners have been reluctant to send tankers to the Novorossiysk region due to the UAV threat, disrupting schedules.
CPC announced on July 27 that oil loading at the marine terminal had resumed with the berthing of two tankers. However, market sources speaking to Reuters reported that activities became intermittent again in the following days, and loading stopped on August 5. The Kazakh Ministry of Energy stated on August 1 that a complete halt was not planned and that the situation was under control; the ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for further comments on August 5 while the news was being prepared.
Production has decreased, and CPC Blend has turned to a discount.
Kazakhstan's oil production fell by 14% in July compared to June. Tengizchevroil's plan to transport approximately 100,000 tons of oil by rail to Batumi in August indicates that alternatives are being activated; however, it does not seem feasible for the rail-port chain to quickly replace the scale of CPC's marine terminal.
The uncertainty in shipments has also reflected in pricing. CPC Blend crude oil, which was trading at a premium to Dated Brent a few weeks ago, has now turned to a discount of about $4 per barrel. According to CPC's own data, the 1,511-kilometer Tengiz–Novorossiysk pipeline carries more than two-thirds of Kazakhstan's oil exports; the terminal loaded 70.52 million tons of oil onto 587 tankers in 2025.
Russia blames Ukraine for attacks on the terminal and tankers. Kyiv did not comment on Reuters' inquiries regarding these specific incidents. Regardless of the perpetrator debate, the current issue is the narrowing supply of insurable tankers willing to go to the region.
Maritime impact: The tanker shortage at CPC could draw Suezmax and Aframax supply from other basins to the Black Sea; the rail diversion to Batumi may increase storage and tanker demand at Georgian ports. The prolonged disruption could affect approximately 1.8% of global oil supply.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
