Drone strikes tanker loading Kazakh oil at Black Sea terminal
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A drone struck the tanker NELSA on July 20 at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea terminal while it was loading Kazakh crude, causing a fire that was later extinguished. All 22 crew members were evacuated safely, and no oil spill occurred, according to Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry.
The Attack
The drone struck the starboard quarter of the NELSA between the superstructure and engine room while the vessel was moored at the single-point mooring buoy VPU-1. Firefighting crews and emergency services of the consortium spent several hours extinguishing the blaze on deck and in compartments. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium described the incident as a terrorist attack, noting it occurred shortly after Kazakhstan's Foreign and Energy Ministries condemned previous strikes on civilian vessels.
Escalating Strikes
The attack on the NELSA was the third in a series targeting tankers involved in Kazakh oil exports. On July 18, a drone struck the Nordic Zenith near the terminal; on July 19, drones hit the ASIA and NISSOS IOS, causing fires and temporarily halting loading. Operations resumed later that evening. The consortium reported that all three vessels were engaged in loading Kazakh crude.
Kazakhstan's Response
Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry called the systematic attacks an unacceptable infringement on the country's economic interests and demanded an immediate halt to strikes on civilian shipping and export infrastructure. The ministry said it is assessing damages and reserves the right to use international mechanisms for compensation. The Energy Ministry remains in constant contact with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
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