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The Cameroonian-flagged product tanker Marquise (37,662 DWT) was struck by two Ukrainian MBEC kamikaze drones in the Black Sea approximately 210 kilometres from Tuapse, Ukraine's General Staff reported. The vessel was reportedly empty and holding position at the time of the strike, possibly awaiting orders for a ship-to-ship transfer.
Both drones targeted the stern area, with strikes near the engine room, propeller, and rudder. Damage assessment was still underway at time of reporting. No crew casualty information has been confirmed.
Marquise was built in 2006 and has been sanctioned by both the UK and EU since October 2025 for involvement in Russian energy trade. The vessel has cycled through multiple flag states (Gabon, Barbados, Vanuatu, and now Cameroon) while operating under UAE-based management, a pattern consistent with shadow fleet evasion practices.
The strike follows a sustained Ukrainian drone campaign targeting Russian oil export infrastructure and associated tanker traffic in the Black Sea, including three attacks on the Tuapse refinery complex this month alone.
Damage assessment is ongoing. No independent investigation authority has been confirmed.
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