Ukraine Drone Attacks Suspend Oil Loading in Novorossiysk

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) suspended oil loading operations at its Black Sea terminal near Novorossiysk on July 30 after drone attacks targeted two tankers. The NISSOS SIFNOS sustained a cargo deck fire while loading Tengizchevroil crude at the SPM-3 mooring, which the crew extinguished with support from CPC vessels. A second tanker, the MARATHI, was struck by two projectiles while awaiting a berth six nautical miles offshore. No injuries or oil spills were reported, and both vessels remained seaworthy.

Ukrainian drone forces claimed to have struck four Russian tankers in the Black and Azov seas overnight, though they did not explicitly name the affected vessels. These strikes follow a pattern of at least eight tankers being hit near the terminal in July, including attacks on July 17, 19, and 20. The repeated disruptions have previously forced Kazakhstan to reduce oil production due to storage constraints.

The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes as terrorist attacks. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that such actions are emboldened by Western political support, which provides Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a false hope of impunity. The CPC warned that the attacks ignore pleas from Kazakhstan and foreign shareholders, noting that targeting international energy infrastructure disrupts trade and threatens global energy security. While loading operations stopped, the consortium reported that pipeline facilities continue to operate normally.