Three Tankers Struck by Drones at CPC Terminal, Novorossiysk - Loading Twice Suspended

Three tankers were struck by drones at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium offshore terminal in the Black Sea on July 19–20, forcing CPC to twice suspend loading operations.

The first two strikes occurred on July 19 while vessels were actively loading at the terminal moorings. The Liberian-flagged Asia (163,111 DWT, built 2022) reported a fire on board following a drone strike. The fire was extinguished with assistance from CPC emergency response teams. The Marshall Islands-flagged Nissos Ios (157,447 DWT) was struck in the same timeframe; loading was suspended for several hours and a damage assessment was undertaken.

After operations resumed, a third vessel was struck on July 20. The Cameroonian-flagged Nelsa (156,760 DWT), sanctioned by the UK in 2024 and the EU in 2025 for involvement in Russian oil trade, was hit between the superstructure and engine room. A more significant fire broke out, forcing all 22 crew members to evacuate onto CPC tugboats. Several hours were required to bring the blaze under control.

The CPC pipeline moves approximately two percent of the world's oil supply, exporting Kazakhstani crude from three major fields via a 1,000-mile pipeline. Western oil majors including Chevron, ExxonMobil, Eni, and Shell hold participatory stakes, with 75 percent of volumes exported by foreign shippers.

The attacks form part of Ukraine's sustained drone campaign against Russian energy export infrastructure. Ukrainian military commanders have reported a total of 159 vessels struck since early July.