The Yasa Polaris tanker was attacked by a drone near Novorossiysk, Russia, on July 7, 2026. Crew safe; oil exports remain unaffected.
The crude oil tanker Yasa Polaris was attacked by a drone on July 7, 2026, while it was waiting near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal close to Novorossiysk on the Black Sea coast of Russia.
A significant security incident concerning energy transportation occurred in the Black Sea. The crude oil tanker Yasa Polaris, chartered by the American energy giant Chevron and used for shipments by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while waiting offshore near Novorossiysk, Russia.
According to information reported by the international news agency Reuters, the incident took place on July 7 while the vessel was waiting to load near the CPC marine terminal. The Turkish company Yasa Tanker, which operates the vessel, confirmed the attack and stated that all crew members are safe.
In a statement made by Yasa Tanker, it was noted that the vessel was not carrying oil at the time of the attack and was waiting in ballast.
The company stated:
'All crew members on board are safe, and their conditions have been assessed. There is no visible damage to the hull of the vessel. So far, no oil spill, environmental pollution, or environmental impact has been detected. Our ship has departed the area.'
Initial assessments indicated that the attack did not cause significant structural damage to the vessel and did not result in any marine pollution.
Chevron also confirmed the attack in a statement following the incident.
The company stated that the attacked vessel was in the area to go to the CPC loading facilities and confirmed that the crew is safe. Chevron also reported that there has been no disruption in oil exports from Kazakhstan via the CPC line.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is considered one of the most critical routes for Kazakhstan's oil exports.
The pipeline, approximately 1,500 kilometers long, transports crude oil extracted from significant oil fields in Kazakhstan, primarily Tengiz, to Russia's Novorossiysk Port. From there, the oil is shipped to international markets via tankers.
According to industry data, about 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports are conducted through the CPC system. According to information reported by Reuters, approximately 1.6 million barrels of CPC Blend oil are planned to be exported daily in July.
Following the incident, numerous posts on social media claimed that the attack was carried out by Ukraine.
However, according to Reuters, there has been no official statement or claim of responsibility from Ukrainian authorities regarding the attack. Therefore, it is not possible to make a definitive assessment of the perpetrator of the attack based on the current data.
Nevertheless, it is known that Ukraine has recently increased its UAV operations targeting Russia's energy infrastructure, refineries, and maritime targets around the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Other attacks targeting Russian oil infrastructure and certain tanker targets were also reported around the same time.
The Yasa Polaris, which was attacked, is part of the fleet of the Turkish maritime company Yasa Holding.
The technical specifications of the vessel are as follows:
• DWT (Deadweight Tonnage): 158,224 tons
• Length: 274 meters
• Width: 48 meters
• Year of Construction: 2022
According to international ship registries, the tanker has a capacity to carry approximately 160,000 tons of crude oil.
Energy infrastructure and oil transportation in the Black Sea have occasionally been targeted by attacks since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Experts emphasize that the CPC terminal and the tankers operating on this line are critical for international energy supply, noting that such attacks could have effects on insurance costs, freight rates, and maritime security, even if they do not cause direct physical damage. According to information reported by Reuters, the CPC terminal has previously been affected by attacks.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
