Trump administration urges Ukraine to halt attacks on Kazakhstan oil tankers
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The Trump administration on Tuesday called on Ukraine to stop attacks on vessels near Novorossiysk, where the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal is located, the Wall Street Journal reported. The appeal was conveyed to the Ukrainian side by a White House official. The attacks have disrupted oil shipments from Kazakhstan, a key CPC shareholder.
The Attacks
On July 19, drones struck two tankers loading oil at CPC's offshore mooring facilities: the Liberia-flagged ASIA, loading Tengizchevroil crude, and the Marshall Islands-flagged NISSOS IOS, loading oil from Kashagan B.V. and Maten Petroleum. Both vessels were handling Kazakh oil. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks, and Kazakhstan has not officially identified the perpetrator.
Impact on Kazakhstan
CPC suspended loading operations after the attacks to ensure safety of vessels, crews, and the environment. The pipeline, which carries nearly 2% of global oil, stopped accepting previous volumes, forcing Kazakh producers to cut daily output to prevent tank overflows. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry condemned the drone strikes as an unacceptable infringement on the country's economic interests.
US Interests
Major US oil companies are CPC shareholders: Chevron holds 15% and ExxonMobil-affiliated Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company holds 7.5%. Both are also key investors in Kazakh oil projects. The Wall Street Journal noted that the attacks have already disrupted the transport of Kazakh and Russian crude to the Black Sea.
What's Next
CPC has said its facilities are undamaged and ready to resume transshipment once the situation normalizes. It remains unclear when loading operations will restart or whether Ukraine will heed the US call to halt further strikes.
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Trump administration urges Ukraine to halt attacks on Kazakhstan oil tankers
