Black Sea Tanker Attacks - The Times Of Central Asia

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Caspian Pipeline Consortium

CPC Reportedly Stops Accepting Kazakh Oil as Storage Tanks Reach Capacity After Tanker Attacks

Citing three industry sources, on July 21 Reuters said the Caspian Pipeline Consortium had stopped accepting crude from Kazakhstan after tanker attacks halted Black Sea loadings. Two of the sources said the terminal's storage tanks were full. CPC has so far declined to comment. The stoppage marks a sharper disruption than the loading suspension announced on July 20. LSEG ship-tracking data showed that at least two tankers due to collect crude changed direction. Chevron owns 15% of CPC, while ExxonMobil is also a shareholder through Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company. Chevron told Reuters that "Chevron continues to monitor the situation at CPC. The safety and security of personnel remain our top priority." ASIA was one of the tankers struck before loadings were suspended. It was hit on July 19 while loading Tengizchevroil crude at the CPC terminal. Following the attack on ASIA, a Chevron spokesperson told The Times of Central Asia: “Chevron is aware of reports of an incident involving a vessel loading at Caspian Pipeline Consortium facilities near Novorossiysk. All crew are safe, and the vessel remains stable. The vessel has been moved to a safe anchorage, and we are coordinating with the ship operator and relevant authorities. There has been no impact to TCO operations or exports. Further questions regarding CPC operations should be directed to CPC.” As of early July 22, no producer had announced new output cuts in response to the CPC halt. The intake stoppage nevertheless removes the main export outlet for crude from Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak. The 1,510-kilometer pipeline carries oil from western Kazakhstan to the terminal near Novorossiysk. Terminal tanks normally buffer crude flows before tankers load offshore, but once they are full, the system has little room to receive additional oil. A prolonged shutdown could force producers to reduce output. Kazakhstan has not confirmed such reductions. CPC oil supplies fell 7% from May to 1.699 million barrels a day in June. Reuters linked the fall to a late-May accident at Tengiz and lower Russian volumes. The route handles about 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports and almost 2% of global oil supply. The latest halt followed attacks on four tankers over four days. Nordic Zenith was hit on July 17 while approaching the terminal empty. ASIA and NISSOS IOS were struck on July 19 while loading Kazakh crude. NISSOS IOS was loading crude from Kashagan B.V. and Maten. Loadings briefly resumed that evening. A drone then struck NELSA at SPM-1 on July 20. A fire broke out on deck and in several compartments. CPC evacuated 20 of the ship's 22 crew members by tugboat, while the captain and chief officer remained aboard. The tanker stayed afloat; no casualties or oil spill were recorded, and the crude in its cargo tanks did not ignite. The NELSA was carrying Russian Urals crude, according to S&P Global shipping data. CPC then suspended oil loading. Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry said it remained in contact with the consortium while specialists assessed the vessel and the consequences of the strike....

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Ukraine Says No Evidence of Role in Attacks on Tankers Loading Kazakh Oil: Statement in Full

The Times of Central Asia has reported on drone attacks against tankers serving the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal, including vessels loading Kazakh crude. Kazakhstan condemned the attacks on July 17 and 19 and called for an immediate halt. A fourth tanker, NELSA, was struck while loading on July 20. TCA asked Victor Mayko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, to respond. His statement is published below in full. “Ukraine understands the concerns of the Kazakhstani side regarding the incidents that occurred on July 17 and 19 involving tankers loading Kazakhstani oil through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s marine terminals in the waters of the Port of Novorossiysk. Let me put it this way—we understand and share these concerns. “At the same time, I am convinced that any conclusions must be based solely on verified facts. As of today, there is no evidence whatsoever that the attacks in question were carried out by the Ukrainian side. Therefore, I ask that you refrain from making hasty and unfounded accusations, whether direct or indirect, against Ukraine. “I would like to point out that the relevant Ukrainian authorities very recently warned of the possibility of Russian provocations, including those involving the use of Ukrainian drones. We have informed our international partners that Russia is actively employing various tactics: Russian electronic warfare systems are capable of disrupting the operation of Ukrainian drones, disabling them, and, in some cases, taking control of them. “That is precisely why the possibility that the Russian side may be using such drones to carry out provocations and attempts to discredit Ukraine must be thoroughly investigated. “War always brings immeasurable suffering and grief to millions of people. But even in the midst of this immense tragedy, there are certain rules recognized by international law, and violations of these rules constitute war crimes. It is forbidden to kill civilians. It is forbidden to torture children, women, and the elderly. It is forbidden to destroy civilian infrastructure in the middle of winter, leaving millions of people without heat, water, electricity, or even shelter. It is forbidden to deliberately kill rescue workers and medical personnel who are rushing to the scene of the tragedy to help the victims. It is forbidden to shoot at ambulances transporting the seriously wounded. The use of chemical weapons, including against the civilian population, is prohibited. It is unacceptable to attack civilian ships carrying Ukrainian grain bound for countries in Southeast Asia and Africa, thereby condemning millions of people to starvation. I could go on with this tragic list. Everything listed here constitutes war crimes. And those responsible for them must inevitably be punished. “Our principled position, even against this backdrop, remains unchanged. The Armed Forces of Ukraine do not strike civilian targets, including those located on the territory of the Russian Federation. Legitimate military targets are exclusively military facilities and infrastructure that support the Russian war machine, which for more than four years now has been waging an armed, unprovoked aggression of unprecedented severity against Ukraine, its army, its...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

When the War Reaches Kazakh Oil

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine unleashed the war now expanding across the Black Sea, but it did not erase the distinction between Russian military logistics and the lawful commerce of other states. Kazakhstan is not a party to the war, yet its principal oil export route passes through an expanding maritime target zone. The attacks near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal therefore raise a larger question: can civilian trade carrying Kazakh crude be treated as part of Russia’s war economy simply because geography places its outlet on the Russian coast? Four vessels were attacked near CPC’s Black Sea terminal on July 17, 19, and 20. Nordic Zenith, chartered by ExxonMobil according to Reuters, was empty and approaching the terminal when it was hit on July 17. Two days later, ASIA and NISSOS IOS were struck at single-point moorings off Novorossiysk while loading Kazakhstan-produced oil. ASIA was taking Tengizchevroil (TCO) crude; NISSOS IOS was loading oil from Kashagan B.V. and Maten. A fire on ASIA was extinguished; no one was injured, both vessels remained afloat, and no oil entered the sea. Chevron told The Times of Central Asia that the crew was safe, the vessel was stable, and there had been “no impact to TCO operations or exports.” Loading briefly resumed that evening, but on July 20 a drone struck NELSA while it was loading at SPM-1. The impact on the tanker’s starboard side caused a fire on deck and in several compartments. Its 22-member international crew was evacuated except for the captain and chief officer; the vessel remained afloat, the fire was extinguished, and no oil spill occurred. CPC suspended loadings again. Ukraine’s General Staff said separately that its forces had struck two tankers used to transport Russian oil, petroleum products, and fuel for the Russian military in the Black Sea. It did not identify the vessels or connect the claim to the attacks at the CPC terminal. Russia’s Foreign Ministry blamed Kyiv, while CPC itself did not publicly attribute the attacks. Astana’s response to the attacks has remained measured and legalistic. The Foreign Ministry called the attacks an infringement on Kazakhstan’s economic interests and a threat to lawful international trade. It said an agreed mechanism for sharing information on civilian vessels entering the Black Sea to load CPC oil had been disregarded, endangering crews. It reserved Kazakhstan’s right to seek compensation under international law. Following the strike on NELSA, the Energy Ministry said it remained in constant contact with CPC while the tanker’s technical condition and the consequences of the attack were assessed. The statements focused on Kazakhstan’s rights. That is the distinction Astana is asserting: Kazakh cargoes, revenues, crews, and commercial partners should not be treated as extensions of Russia’s war economy merely because they use a terminal on Russian territory. Kazakh Crude and the Western Stake Russia’s invasion created the maritime battlefield in which these incidents occurred, and Ukraine has a legitimate interest in weakening the military logistics that sustain Russia’s campaign. But Kazakhstan is not Russia,...

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Kazakhstan Condemns Drone Attacks as CPC Oil Loadings Halt

Oil loadings at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal have been suspended again after a fourth tanker was struck by a drone on July 20. The NELSA was loading at single-point mooring SPM-1 when the drone hit the stern on its starboard side, between the superstructure and engine compartment. A fire broke out on the deck and inside the vessel but was extinguished after several hours. CPC said 22 crew members were evacuated aboard its tugboats, while the captain and chief officer remained on the tanker. NELSA stayed afloat. No oil spill occurred, and the crude in its cargo tanks did not ignite. Loading had resumed briefly on the evening of July 19 before the latest attack forced another suspension. Kazakhstan had previously condemned drone attacks on three tankers near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s Black Sea terminal on July 17 and 19, two of which were hit while loading Kazakh oil. The Liberia-flagged ASIA and the Marshall Islands-flagged NISSOS IOS were attacked at single-point moorings SPM-1 and SPM-3 near Novorossiysk. ASIA was loading Tengizchevroil crude. The Marshall Islands-flagged NISSOS IOS was loading oil from Kashagan B.V. and Maten. A fire broke out on ASIA and was extinguished with CPC emergency support. No crew members, CPC employees, or contractors were injured. Both tankers remained afloat, no oil entered the sea, and the moorings were not damaged. Loading was suspended while specialists assessed the damage. Following the attack on ASIA, a spokesperson for Chevron, whose Tengizchevroil crude was being loaded onto the vessel, told TCA: “Chevron is aware of reports of an incident involving a vessel loading at Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) facilities near Novorossiysk. All crew are safe, and the vessel remains stable. The vessel has been moved to a safe anchorage, and we are coordinating with the ship operator and relevant authorities. There has been no impact to TCO operations or exports. Further questions regarding CPC operations should be directed to CPC.” The Kazakh Foreign Ministry described the strikes as an unacceptable infringement on Kazakhstan’s economic interests and a deliberate attempt to disrupt lawful international trade. “Kazakhstan demands an immediate halt to these attacks,” the ministry stated. The ministry said an agreed system for sharing information on civilian vessels entering the Black Sea to load CPC oil had been deliberately ignored. It said the failure endangered crews, called for practical security measures, and reserved Kazakhstan’s right to seek full compensation under international law. Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces struck two tankers in the Black Sea overnight on July 19. It said the vessels were used to transport Russian oil, petroleum products, and fuel for Russia’s armed forces. The post did not name the tankers. CPC said both ships at its terminal were loading oil produced in Kazakhstan and did not publicly identify the attacker. The July 19 incident followed an attack on Nordic Zenith on July 17. The Suezmax tanker was empty and approaching the terminal when two drones hit it. The crew extinguished a fire. Nearby CPC...

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Second Malta-Flagged Vessel Hit in Black Sea as Shipping Risks Rise

The Maltese government has officially condemned recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea after a second ship flying the Maltese flag was damaged in a missile strike. This marks the second such incident within a week involving Maltese-registered ships. A spokesperson for Malta’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that the latest vessel, a Malta-flagged commercial ship, sustained minor shrapnel damage during a missile strike targeting port infrastructure in the Black Sea. The ship remains seaworthy, although one crew member was injured. The earlier incident involved the Matilda, an oil tanker also registered in Malta and chartered by the Kazakh shipping company Kazmortransflot, a subsidiary of state-owned KazMunayGas. On January 13, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Matilda was struck by two Ukrainian drones. In 2025, Kazmortransflot increased its transport volumes by more than 15% compared to 2024, reaching 51,400 DFE. The growth was attributed to rising demand for shipping along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Both incidents occurred near the CPC marine terminal outside Novorossiysk. In a statement, Malta’s Ministry of Transport emphasized that attacks on commercial shipping present a serious threat to civilian seafarers, global shipping safety, and the uninterrupted flow of legitimate international trade. The ministry also noted that commercial vessels operating in conflict zones are increasingly exposed to elevated operational and insurance risks, even when transporting cargo fully compliant with international sanctions. The attacks near the CPC marine terminal have already had a measurable economic impact on shipping and energy exports. As of December 2025, insurance rates for merchant ships operating in the Black Sea had risen to 1% of a vessel’s value, up from 0.75% and 0.25% during more stable periods. Ships operating in areas of active military conflict are typically insured per voyage rather than annually, significantly raising operating expenses. Shipping and insurance analysts say the rise in insurance premiums is reducing profit margins on oil and petroleum product exports in the region. Although Kazakhstan’s export volumes have not yet been directly affected, traders and shippers are increasingly factoring geopolitical and logistical risks into their strategies. Repeated disruptions near one of Eurasia’s critical energy hubs are heightening concerns about the reliability of supply routes, especially given limited alternatives. Kazakhstan has already begun restructuring its oil export network due to disruptions at the CPC, its primary crude oil export channel. Authorities have turned to alternative infrastructure to maintain output and avoid production slowdowns.

Black Sea Tanker Attacks

Security Risks Around Kazakhstan’s Oil Exports Ripple Through European Markets

Europe’s oil market is becoming increasingly exposed to disruption as security risks rise along export routes used by Kazakhstan, which the European Union has long viewed as a reliable alternative to Russian supply. The risks extend far beyond Ukraine itself. “Russia continues escalating its attacks and targeting civilians and civilian infrastructures,” an EU spokesperson told The Times of Central Asia. “Russia’s brutal and unacceptable attacks have left people without hot water, heating and electricity in the current weather conditions. Russia’s war of aggression has also severely impacted Black Sea maritime security, including through its use of shadow fleet vessels to circumvent international sanctions, and the persistent attacks on civilian and port infrastructure in Ukraine. On the other hand, Ukraine has accepted an unconditional ceasefire in March 2025. It shows that Russia does not want peace. The EU and the entire international community need to put pressure on Russia to stop its war. “Kazakhstan plays a crucial role for Europe’s energy security and has been for years a reliable partner in diversifying energy sources and ensuring a stable supply for European markets. More than 12% of all the oil imported by the EU comes from Kazakhstan, contributing to the diversification of energy sources and reducing dependency on a limited number of suppliers. The continuous and safe functioning of the supply chain is hence key also for Europe. “Maritime safety and security in the Black Sea is a fundamental component of the new EU strategic approach to the region, adopted in May 2025. The Black Sea is a critical connector between Europe, the Southern Caucasus, Central Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. Ensuring maritime security and safety in this region is vital not only for the littoral States but also for broader European interests and for many partner countries, as it supports trade flows, sustainable supply chains and enhanced connectivity.” Kazakhstan produced roughly 1.8 million barrels per day in 2024 and exported the bulk of that volume. More than 80% of its crude exports move through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, or CPC, which links oil fields in western Kazakhstan to Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. From there, tankers ship the oil mainly to European refiners. Under normal conditions, the pipeline carries roughly 1.3 million barrels per day, making it one of the most important single supply routes for non-Russian crude entering Europe. Recent events have shown how sensitive European markets are to any disruption along that corridor. On January 14, Bloomberg reported that oil prices in Europe strengthened after shipments of CPC Blend fell short of expectations. Traders cited reduced availability of the light, low-sulfur crude, which is favored by European refiners, forcing buyers to seek alternative grades at higher prices. Despite the recent tightening, traders say the market has so far absorbed disruptions without severe shortages, reflecting high inventories and flexible refinery operations, though that buffer could narrow if attacks persist. That supply pressure followed a series of security incidents in the Black Sea, where commercial shipping and port infrastructure have...