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Drone attacks on oil tankers near Russian port threaten global energy security
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Energy & Infrastructure

Drone attacks on oil tankers near Russian port threaten global energy security

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Two oil tankers near Russia's Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Novorossiisk were attacked by drones on Thursday.
  • One tanker caught fire while loading oil, but the crew extinguished the blaze; no injuries were reported.
  • The CPC operator warned that such attacks endanger global energy security and could cause severe environmental consequences.

Two oil tankers near Russia's Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in the port of Novorossiisk were targeted in drone attacks on Thursday. The incidents occurred as the tankers were preparing to load crude oil, raising alarms about the security of global energy supplies.

In the aftermath of the drone attack in the crude oil reception area, a fire broke out on the cargo deck, which was extinguished by the tanker's crew, with the help of three CPC support vessels. No injuries or casualties were recorded among CPC employees or contractors. Oil loading was suspended, and the pipeline facilities are operating normally.

โ€” Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) operatorDescribing the incident on the Nisson Sifnos and confirming no injuries.

One of the affected vessels, the Nisson Sifnos, flying the Marshall Islands flag and owned by Tengizchevroil LLP (controlled by Chevron), experienced a fire on its cargo deck after being hit while loading crude at the offshore terminal VPU-3. The CPC operator reported that the crew extinguished the fire with assistance from support vessels, and there were no injuries. Oil loading was suspended, but the pipeline facilities continued to operate normally.

A second tanker, the Marathi, under the Isle of Man flag, was also attacked approximately six nautical miles from the CPC terminal as it approached to load oil. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium issued a strong warning, stating that these attacks jeopardize global energy security and could lead to severe environmental damage, including a massive oil spill in the Black Sea.

Such actions generate risks for international trade in energy resources and affect the economic interests of Kazakhstan and the major companies involved in oil exploration and transportation, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Eni, Total, and Shell.

โ€” Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) operatorHighlighting the broader economic and security implications of the attacks.

The attacks come just days after Kazakhstan resumed oil exports through the CPC pipeline, following a temporary suspension due to similar drone attacks the previous week. Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry is monitoring the situation and collaborating with the CPC operator and major oil companies to ensure the continued flow of exports. The CPC pipeline is a critical energy infrastructure, transporting nearly 2% of the world's oil.

An attack on a tanker near the terminal could cause a large-scale fire and a massive oil spill in the Black Sea, with severe ecological effects.

โ€” Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) operatorWarning about potential environmental consequences.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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