Two tankers attacked near CPC terminal; fire breaks out on one

A drone attack ignited a fire on the cargo deck of the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Niffos Sifnos as it loaded oil at a Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) Single Point Mooring (SPM) on July 30. The fire, which occurred near the oil receiving manifolds, was quickly extinguished by the tanker crew with assistance from three CPC support vessels. No injuries were reported among CPC personnel or contractors, and no oil spill occurred. The tanker remains afloat, and damage assessments are ongoing. Oil loading has been temporarily halted, though pipeline operations continue normally.

In a separate incident, the Isle of Man-flagged tanker Marathi, en route to the marine terminal, was attacked six nautical miles from the CPC terminal within territorial waters. The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan has stated it will comment on this second attack. The CPC, a crucial export route for Kazakh oil, transports at least 60 million tons annually, representing approximately 80 percent of the country's total export volume. The consortium connects major energy enterprises from Russia, the United States, Kazakhstan, and Western European countries.

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The UAV attack ignited a fire on the cargo deck near the oil receiving manifolds, which was extinguished by the tanker crew with the assistance of three CPC support vessels.

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry previously condemned similar drone attacks on CPC vessels as an "unacceptable infringement" on its economic interests, demanding an immediate cessation of attacks on oil export infrastructure. The ministry indicated that Kazakhstan is assessing the damage and reserves its right to pursue legal mechanisms, including compensation claims, under international law. Loading operations at the CPC marine terminal were temporarily suspended on July 23, impacting oil production, but CPC resumed oil intake on July 27.

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Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry described the attacks as an unacceptable infringement on the country's economic interests and demanded an immediate halt to attacks on vessels and infrastructure used for exporting Kazakh oil.