Greek‑managed tankers struck by drones off Novorossiisk near CPC terminal

Four Greek-managed oil tankers were struck by unidentified drones in the Black Sea while waiting to load crude at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiisk, according to multiple sources and company statements. Accounts vary on the number of vessels affected, with the most detailed reporting identifying four ships, while some sources cited two.

The vessels named in reporting include Matilda, managed by Thenamaris; Delta Harmony and Delta Supreme, managed by Delta Tankers; and Freud, managed by TMS. Thenamaris confirmed Matilda was hit by two drones about 30 miles off the CPC terminal, sustained minor damage to deck structures, suffered no injuries and remained seaworthy before sailing away from the area. Delta Tankers had not replied to requests for comment and the CPC declined to comment on the strikes. Maritime security sources also said a fire was reported on board one ship and was quickly extinguished.

The incident compounds an already fragile export situation for Kazakhstan, which relies heavily on the CPC Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal to move oil through the Black Sea. An earlier drone strike on Nov. 29, 2025 hit one of CPC’s three main moorings and disrupted exports. A source familiar with production data said Kazakhstan’s oil and gas condensate output plunged by about 35 percent in Jan. 1–12 compared with December’s daily average, mainly because of export constraints via the Black Sea terminal. Kazakhstan’s energy ministry said on Jan. 13 that CPC was continuing oil exports via one mooring.

Beyond the immediate safety and damage assessments, the strikes have several market and policy implications. Physically, any reduction in CPC throughput tightens seaborne flows of Kazakh crude that are priced into European heavy sour benchmarks. A sustained cut in volumes from Kazakhstan would add pressure to global heavy crude availability at a time when refiners have limited flexibility to substitute grades. Traders will be monitoring mooring repairs, vessel confirmations and load schedules for evidence of longer disruptions.

Financially, attacks on tankers tend to drive up marine insurance premiums and war risk surcharges on Black Sea voyages, raising transportation costs and potentially rerouting cargoes to longer, costlier corridors. Owners and charterers may delay loadings or seek alternative discharge points, prompting logistical bottlenecks that can ripple through Baltic and Mediterranean shipping networks.

Strategically, the strikes underscore the vulnerability of maritime energy infrastructure to unmanned weaponry and the escalation risk for companies and states that rely on a narrow set of export routes. Attribution remains unclear; no party has publicly taken responsibility and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. That uncertainty complicates both immediate security responses and any coordinated moves by industry to harden shipping approaches or seek naval escorts.

For Kazakhstan, the immediate economic risk is tangible: the 35 percent near-term output slump could weigh on state revenues and investor sentiment if export capacity remains constrained. Over the longer term the episode may accelerate policy discussions in Astana and among trading partners about diversifying export routes and boosting resilience in oil logistics.

Key facts remain unconfirmed: the full list of affected vessels, detailed damage reports for ships other than Matilda, exact timing of the strikes and formal statements from other managers or CPC. Authorities and companies are likely to issue further information as investigations and repair assessments proceed.